With three wins in his last four outings, including a successful title defence at THE PLAYERS Championship, Scheffler (68, 11-under) is so hot right now that his contemporaries realise they’ll need to step up their game to catch up with him. Therefore, it’s difficult to ignore the possibility that their mistakes were the result of attempting to be too flawless and it failing.
Homa (73, 4-under, T3) insisted he was attempting to go for the centre of the green on hole 12, when his prospects of making it literally died in the ivy. “No, no, I had nothing backfire,” he said.
On that point, Morikawa (74, 4-under, T3) elaborated.
“No, no, no. Look, I was not making any putts on the first seven or eight holes today. The outcome would have been different if I had made two or three of those putts fall.” (Morikawa made the most putts of the week, with 31.)
“Jack was aware that he would defeat you. You were aware that Jack would defeat you. And Jack was aware that you were aware that he would defeat you.” Welskopf said.
After the event, Homa talked about Scheffler’s mind as his superpower. When PGATOUR.COM informed the life coach and best-selling author Tony Robbins about Scheffler’s brilliant intellect in the member’s pro shop on Sunday, he concurred. Robbins is a Homa fan who was exploring Augusta.
Homa stated that he “was going to need to play some spectacular golf today,” despite starting the day just two shots behind leader Scheffler. Was Homa expressing that in retrospect, or was that his initial thought process ?
From his days as the Rolex Junior Player of the Year, Scheffler has consistently been at the top of his class, according to Morikawa. However, he denied the notion that the winner’s best stuff is simply too much to handle.
“Well, I firmly think that I still possess it today, and I am certain that I do. I know that you know, I made two mistakes, and that cost me the tournament, so I just need to keep going a little bit deeper and really just be strong with myself. Even so, I would still have needed to make a few birdies, but it cost me some momentum and a chance to maintain my lead.” Morikawa said.
A year ago, Åberg, 24, was still vying for a spot at Texas Tech. In June of last year, he finished first in the PGA TOUR University Class of 2023, earning him full exempt status and direct admission to the PGA TOUR. He participated in his first Ryder Cup for Europe, won on the PGA TOUR, and triumphed on the DP World Tour.
Still, it was a truth that he was participating in not only his first Masters tournament but also his first major of any type. Fuzzy Zoeller was the last debutant to win the Masters in 1979.
“I’ve wanted to accomplish this for a very long time. And to truly get the chance to experience it is very strange.” Åberg (69, 7 under, solo second) stated, noting that his début week had been the finest since Will Zalatoris placed second to Hideki Matsuyama during 2021.
If their efforts were not excessive, what could have happened ?
Morikawa commented, “Greed got the best of me.” After spraying his drive into the proper woods and attempting to hit the ninth hole bunker with too much precision, dropping it in the sand.
He next discovered the pond to the left of the 11th green.
“I merely attempted to hit an overly flawless shot. It’s not like I was attempting to press at that moment. I was aware of my position.” he said.
On November 11, the otherwise metronomic Åberg made a visit to the pond.
“I think it was one of the only swings this week where I truly placed myself in a difficult situation, where I knew I had to miss left, and I did.” he said.
Regarding his 9-iron into the ivy on 12, Homa commented that the penalty didn’t seem appropriate for the offence.
He authored his second top 10 in a major, and he declared, “I hit a good shot.”
Similar issues beset those who attempted to pursue Nicklaus in the past, as did potential rivals of Woods, most notably in 2019, when Woods created history by hitting consecutive shots into Rae’s Creek.
Perhaps Homa and Morikawa are correct, and nobody is making a fuss. Perhaps it’s just the abundance of banana peels in Amen Corner. Or perhaps, just possibly, they are pressing without even realising it.
The tale stays the same, but as time goes on, the names change. Those attempting to pursue golf’s Road Runners, Jack, Tiger, and Scottie, continue to resemble Wile E. Coyote instead.
