The Masters LIVE: Leaderboard and reaction as Scottie Scheffler wins second green jacket ahead of Ludvig Aberg
The pre-tournament favourite and World No 1 coasted to a four-shot victory as his pregnant wife Merideth watched from home expecting the couple’s first child
Scottie Scheffler has won the Masters for the second time in three years after holding off the challenge of Ludvig Aberg and Max Homa to claim the green jacket by four shots at Augusta National.
Pre-tournament favourite and World No 1 Scheffler held a one-shot lead going into the final round but held his nerve on the back nine - even as a surging Aberg and Homa briefly joined him and Collin Morikawa in a four-way tie at the top of the leaderboard.
But the 27-year-old American shot three birdies in a row at the turn to pull clear, with Aberg, Homa and Morikawa all getting into trouble with double bogeys at Amen Corner. Scheffler, by contrast, coasted to victory with a near-faultless display, carding another run of three birdies in four down the stretch.
Scheffler, who won his first major at Augusta in 2022, will now return home to Texas and join his wife Merideth, who is expecting to give birth to the couple’s first child later this month. Scheffler said he would have been prepared to leave the tournament early if necessary
The 24-year-old Aberg continued his stunning rise as a professional, meanwhile, as the Swede finished second on his Masters debut. Aberg, who shone for Europe in the Ryder Cup last year, would have been the first-ever debutant victor at the Augusta were it not for Scheffler.
Follow all the reaction as Scheffler claimed his second Masters title at Augusta
Pars at the first
Scheffler -7 (1), Morikawa -6 (1)
Scheffler’s approach comes up short at the first but it’s an easy up and down for his par. Morikawa has a look at a birdie to get alongside his partner but it falls short. Two pars and on we go.
Birdie for Schauffele
Bryson DeChambeau -2 (2), Xander Schauffele -3 (2)
That’s about as stress-free of a birdie as you’re likely to see at the par-5 second all day from Schauffele. On the green in two, simple two-putt and he’s within three of Scheffler.
DeChambeau’s shakey start continues as he airmails the green and lands amongst the patrons. His chip down to the green is well-judged and gives him a look at birdie but the opportunity passes him by. Not the start he would have wanted.
Sandy save for Fleetwood
Young -1 (4), Fleetwood -2 (4)
Tommy recovers well from his tee shot landing in the bunker to make par at the fourth. Young takes a backward step, though, with a bogey. He can’t afford many of those.
Stress-free pars for Homa and Aberg
Homa -5 (1), Aberg -4 (1)
Aberg is in position A from the middle of the fairway and fires a dart into the heart of the green. A great chance for birdie but he doesn’t get it to the hole.
Homa has to get creative from the left side of the fairway but it’s a beautiful draw that spins towards the hole as it catches the green. His birdie putt is a good one but it dies away to the left.
Still, two stress-free pars for our penultimate duo.
The final pairing are off
Scheffler -7, Morikawa -6
Strap in, folks. Scheffler and Morikawa arrive at the first tee box as the final pairing gets ready to head off. Scheffler has the lead and the form, and Morikawa the major championship know-how.
Both stripe their drives down the middle.
Opening-hole bogey for DeChambeau
Bryson DeChambeau -2 (1), Xander Schauffele -2 (1)
Another one of the chasers falls victim to the first hole. In the bunker off the tee and out of position with his approach into the green. It’s a tough two-putt from there and it’s even harder after he races the first effort past the hole.
A bogey moves him five back off Scheffler now as his playing partner Schauffele nudges his in for a par.
Cam Young gets up and running
Young -2 (3), Fleetwood -2 (3)
It’s only an outside chance for Tommy at the third but he’s more than happy to roll that up holeside and tap in for his par.
Cam Young, though, gets his round up and running with a birdie to move alongside his playing partner on -2.
Eagle for Smith
Smith -3 (2), An -1 (1)
Cam Smith out of nowhere! The Aussie knows what it takes to win a major and has suddenly snuck up into the top five after he holes out from the greenside bunker on two for eagle. Can he make a charge at Scheffler?
His playing partner Byeong-Hun An has to settle for a birdie, a good response after his opening-hole birdie.
Double bogey for Hojgaard
Cameron Davis -1 (1), Nicolai Hojgaard E (1)
A horrible, nervy start for this group. Hojgaard’s horrible tee shot leads to a costly double bogey, while Davis goes over the back of the green and can’t get up and down to save his par.
Moving in the wrong direction early on.
Bryson underway
Bryson DeChambeau -3, Xander Schauffele -2
Motoring through these tee times now as DeChambeau and Schauffele get underway. Bryson finds the bunker with his tee shot, while Xander creams one down the middle.
The cameras pan back to Max Homa who makes his walk from the clubhouse to the first tee - him and Ludvig Aberg will be up next.
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