Scottie Scheffler’s Masters Hopes May Have Drowned Friday

The world No. 1 shot a 2-over 74 that he didn't feel was indicative of how he played, but after two water balls on par-5s his third green jacket may be out of reach.

Scottie Scheffler shot the third over par round in his career at Augusta National. | Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated

AUGUSTA — Two swings. That’s all it took for Scottie Scheffler to unravel in the second round of the Masters. 

Starting the day three off the lead, the world No. 1 got off to a slow start. There were bogeys on Nos. 4 and 5, both of which Scheffler failed to get up-and-down for par (and he feels he should have). Yet he fought back with birdies on Nos. 8 and 9 and was even par through 12  holes.

But he wouldn’t escape Amen Corner unscathed. 

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After hitting his tee shot on the par-5 13th in the fairway, he took out a 3-iron, aiming to reach the green in two. Then, like so many others in the 90-year history of the tournament, his ball found the bottom of Rae’s Creek. And he’d make bogey. 

“I just didn’t draw it enough,” the 29-year-old said. “It’s a hard shot for me, because where I hit my drive there, we caught that tee ball into the wind again, so as far as I can get it out there, there’s still some trees in my way, so I kind of have to start on that bridge, but off the slope I felt like I could pretty easily draw it off. 

“I just tried to kind of swing it with the slope and just didn’t catch it that solid and kind of hung out there.”

Similar misfortunes happened two holes later, on the par-5 15th. He flew the green and splashed his ball in the water behind the putting surface. Another bogey ensued. 

Ultimately, he’d shoot a 2-over 74, putting him at even par for the tournament. Still, he feels his score isn’t indicative of how he played, and only wants one shot back from Friday afternoon. 

“The fairway on 13, probably my only shot I would rather be able to hit again,” he said. “Maybe a different decision there. That’s a tough shot, but I felt like I could make something happen to that pin.”

Instead, that shot led to Scheffler being over par at Augusta National for the third time in 26 career rounds here. 

When he exited the 18th green, Scheffler was T22, seven back of Rory McIlroy’s lead, who was still on the front nine of his second round. Then, McIlroy got to 12 under with a second-round 65.

Needing to move heaven and earth over the weekend, Scheffler, a two-time green jacket recipient, knows chasing on this golf course isn’t the recipe for success. He’ll just keep playing his game this weekend, but knows where he needs to be better. 

“Would like to hole a few more putts,” he said. “I felt like it was rolling nice today, but just—balls just weren’t dropping. Maybe my reads were a little bit off. I felt like I was starting on line, could have been speed on a couple of putts, but overall today I felt like I definitely played better than my score.”

But as Bill Parcells used to say, “You are who your record says you are.” In Scheffler’s case, his score Friday, inflated by just two swings, likely sunk his hopes at a third Masters title.