After it was over,once Rory McIlroy secured back-to-back Masters winswith a bogey at No. 18, the stunning comeback Scottie Scheffler nearly pulled off came more into focus.
The world's No. 1 golfer finished just one shot behind McIlroyafter beginning the weekend 12 shots back of the lead. Scheffler closed with rounds of 6-under 65 on Saturday and 4-under 68 on Sunday to rise up into contention. A Scheffler birdie attempt that just missed on the 17th hole loomed even larger once the final groups rolled in and McIlroy's 12-under par became the winning score.
But Scheffler had a different bad break on his mind when speaking to reporters after Sunday's final round. "I'm not in charge of course setup,"he told reporters, and then specifically referenced Friday's second round when he teed off with the morning wave and finished with a 2-over 74.
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Scenes from Scottie Scheffler’s final round at Augusta
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“I would’ve liked it to have been a little bit more equal in terms of the firmness on Thursday and Friday," Scheffler said. "I was a bit surprised at how soft things were on Friday afternoon, especially as it got late in the day. But the weather also changes, like it was a bit windy on Thursday."
“So who knows, it’s just that’s part of the game," he continued. "We play an outdoor sport, and you don’t know how conditions are gonna change — especially course conditions. Overall, like I said, just Friday for me, going out early, not being able to shoot an under-par round, that definitely hurt my chances. I think I started the weekend maybe 12 back, so to get within one was a pretty good run.”
Scheffler was seeking a third Masters win in five years and it was his fourth top-five finish in seven starts this season.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Scottie Scheffler wonders if Masters course setup was 'equal' in 2026