Scottie Scheffler Keeps Masters Hopes Alive With Career-Low Round at Augusta National

AUGUSTA — Scottie Scheffler needed to do some heavy lifting to give himself any chance of winning a third Masters.

Starting the day 12 strokes back of Rory McIlroy’s 36-hole lead, the world No. 1 might have done just that.

Still, he told CBS after his round, “Feel like I left a few shots out there, but overall it was a good day.”

Indeed, it was. Scheffler fired a 7-under 65, his lowest round ever at Augusta National, to get within the top 10 of the leaderboard. When he exited the 18th green, he was T7, six strokes back of the lead. And now that everyone has completed the third round, Scheffler sits just four back.

Yet, Scheffler appeared a tad disgruntled when the first question in his interview with the assembled press was, “That was a 65 today. What did it feel like it could have or should have been?”

“That’s just a terrible question,” Scheffler responded. “Next question. Awful.”

So the ensuing inquiry was, “What enabled you to go low as opposed to the opening two rounds?” And Scheffler elaborated.

Scottie Scheffler moves to seven under par with a birdie on No. 16. #themasters pic.twitter.com/wvTvdpfMbw
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 11, 2026

“I hit it really nice today,” said Scheffler, whose previous low round was a 66 in Round 1 two years ago, when he won for the second time. “I felt like I was very sharp with the irons. Got it up there. Gave myself a lot of opportunities. I felt like I took advantage of those on the front nine, and then back nine I did a lot of good things. Was really, really close to seeing a lot go in.”

Later in his answer, Scheffler again admitted, “definitely could have been lower.”

Perhaps he would have liked to have shot below par on both of the second nine’s par-5s, Nos. 13 and 15. He parred both, hitting his second shot in the bunker on 13, and then flying the green on No. 15 with his approach before falling to get his chip on the green.

Despite Scheffler’s shortcomings on those holes, Scheffler was surprised he was able to make the charge he did. The sun is beaming on the Augusta National, browning the greens. Yet, for the second consecutive round, the course didn’t play as difficult as he thought; though, he benefited from an early tee time.

“It was crazy firm Thursday afternoon when we were coming in,” the four-time major champion said. “There were virtually no birdie opportunities. If you look at the scores from late in the day on Thursday, there were not many birdies made in fairly similar conditions. A little less wind, and the greens were fairly soft yesterday, so you saw a lot of scoring late in the day.

“Then today there was a little bit of opportunity early. You saw my front nine. There was definitely some opportunity going out. Not much wind. Softer greens, but they firmed up a little quicker. It really depends on what they decide to do with the greens.”

And here we are again. Earlier this year, Scheffler turned slow starts at the WM Phoenix Open and AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am into top-5 finishes with a final-round 64 and 63. Those courses certainly aren’t the brute Augusta National is (well, Pebble, at least, isn’t when the tournament was played in February), but Scheffler is going to bed tonight dreaming of winning a third green jacket in his seventh Masters start. (Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods all won their third Masters in their eighth start).

“I don’t feel like I’m out of the tournament,” he told CBS.

More Masters Coverage from Sports Illustrated