Welcome to Earl's Golf Blog
April 14,2024
Scottie Scheffler is different!
The best player in the world won The Masters in convincing style. The margin between really good and great is razor thin, but when you raise the bar even further you go into the superstar category. Scottie Scheffler is entering the Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus zone. How long can he sustain this level of brilliance will determine his place in history, but right now it's Scottie Scheffler and everyone else.
The Masters was a tight battle until the last nine holes. Four players could have seized the moment and taken the Green Jacket. None were able to not make a critical mistake at the least opportune moment. Both Ludvig Aberg and Collin Morikawa made an error in judgement and got greedy when the percentage of success was not in their favor. Both made double bogies on the 11th hole, that effectively put them out of contention. Max Homa was a ball striking phenom, but again lacked the same imagination and skill on the greens. His double bogie on 12 was more of a case of a bad bounce then a bad shot. After all had played the 12th hole, it was a showcase for Scottie Scheffler to show his dominance, and he didn't disappoint.
Augusta National is a test of patience and mental toughness. Let your guard down for a second and it will grab you. If you don't have your A game, you can't be competitive. Great players like Joh Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Hideki Mastsuyama, and others of their level left Augusta frustrated and mentally beaten. Those that finished under par are to be commended, because their play usually would win a Tour event.
I have come to expect special from Scottie Scheffler, so I wasn't surprised with his play. But Ludvig Aberg's performance this week showed a talent and maturity that exceeded my estimation of his game. His ten-month professional career has steadily gotten better and shows no weakness. I am most impressed with his demeanor and his commitment to executing his golf shots. He didn't back away from any situation and appeared to revel for the opportunity. Champions have that quality. Will be fun to see him blossom further.
The stage was set for Scottie Scheffler and he did what the best player in the world should do. Win. That's when it is the most difficult. Win, when you are supposed to win. Tiger was different. Jack was different. Now Scottie is that type of different. Well done.
