Scottie Scheffler’s Impressive Start at the 89th Masters: A Bogey-Free Round Sets the Tone
Welcome to Augusta, Georgia, where the azaleas are in full bloom, and the anticipation is as thick as the Southern air. The 89th Masters has kicked off, and all eyes are on the defending champion, Scottie Scheffler. If there were any doubts about his readiness to defend his title, Scheffler silenced them with a bogey-free, 4-under 68 in the first round. This performance has him sharing the early clubhouse lead, setting the stage for what promises to be an exciting tournament.
Let’s dive into the details of Scheffler’s round. He started strong with three birdies on the first nine holes, including a jaw-dropping 62-foot putt on the par-3 fourth hole. As if that wasn’t enough, he added a 42-foot birdie on the par-3 16th, sharing the early lead with Canada’s Corey Conners. It’s worth noting that Scheffler is only the fourth defending Masters winner in the past 30 years to open the tournament with a bogey-free round. Quite the feat!
The conditions at Augusta National Golf Club were near perfect for the morning wave of players. The sun was shining, and the wind was minimal, although the greens were fast and firm, even after more than an inch of rain earlier in the week. Scheffler commented, “I had a feeling the golf course was going to get pretty firm. The areas to hit your irons out here are pretty small, and they get even smaller when the greens are firm, so there’s definitely some challenge to the golf course today, and I’m sure that’ll continue as the week goes on.”
As the world No. 1 golfer, Scheffler had a relatively stress-free round, aiming to join the ranks of Jack Nicklaus, who won the Masters three times in a four-year span. Scheffler is also eyeing the opportunity to become only the fourth golfer to win back-to-back green jackets, joining the likes of Nicklaus, Nick Faldo, and Tiger Woods.
According to ESPN Research, Scheffler now boasts four straight opening rounds in the 60s at the Masters, the second-longest streak in the tournament’s history, trailing only Nicklaus, who achieved this five times from 1972-76.
But it wasn’t all smooth sailing. On the par-4 seventh, Scheffler needed a skillful up and down from a greenside bunker to save par. Then, on the par-5 eighth, he launched a 319-yard drive into the second cut down the left side. His approach with a fairway wood landed in a deep divot, a challenging situation for any golfer.
Scheffler explained, “Just one of those deals-sometimes you get good and bad breaks. Fortunately, there was still a way I could play the shot. But, yeah, I was just in a divot about that big. Pretty deep.” Despite the challenge, he chipped to 14 feet and made the putt for a birdie, bringing him to 3 under.
On the par-4 17th, Scheffler showcased his short game prowess once again, making a deft pitch out of a greenside bunker and sinking an 8-footer to save par. Reflecting on his round, Scheffler said, “I felt pretty good. Anytime you can keep a card clean out here, it’s a really good thing. I struggled for what felt like two pars today. I had to make two really good up-and-downs. But other than that, the golf course was in front of me most of the day, kept the ball in play, did a lot of really good things out there.”
For the rest of the field, the bad news is that Scheffler feels as prepared as ever for this tournament. After a cooking accident at Christmas that limited his practice time, he’s back in form. He hit 11 of 18 greens, leaving room for improvement over the final 54 holes.
- Scottie Scheffler’s bogey-free round: 4-under 68
- Shared early lead with Corey Conners
- Fourth defending Masters winner with a bogey-free opening round in 30 years
- Four straight opening rounds in the 60s at the Masters
- World No. 1 golfer
As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on Scheffler to see if he can continue this impressive form and make history at Augusta. Stay tuned for more updates from the Masters!
Originally Written by: Mark Schlabach
