Scottie Scheffler put on a ball striking and chipping and putting clinic at Augusta National to capture the Green Jacket and the $2.7 million first place paycheck at the 86th Masters. Scheffler was brilliant with the only glitch being the 4 putt on 18 for a double bogey, but by then it was all academic. His approach shot on 18 on Saturday after driving it into the bushes was remarkable. He hit a 6 iron out of the pine straw under the trees over the green. It was a 200 yard shot, very difficult and he handled it masterfully for one of the better bogeys you’ll ever see in a major. His chip in on 3 on Sunday was beyond clutch as Cam Smith was bearing down on him and 2 shots back. From there he was solid and Smith had the misfortune of hitting it into the water on 12 and triple bogeying ending his chances of winning. The back to back sand shots by Rory and Collin Morikawa that went in on 18 were thrillers. Rory really stepped it up on Sunday with a 64. Bodes well for the rest of the majors. Tiger Woods made it around for 72 holes, but shot 78 on Saturday and Sunday, so not so successful, though it was impressive he made it all 4 rounds after an almost fatal car crash in March of 2021. He’s got a long way to go to keep up with these guys though if he ever can.

Spike me Up and White’s World were winners with their respective Scheffler picks and B Barr won H2’s masters pool with some terrific picking. Nice little paycheck for B2 as well. All in all, a fantastic weekend of golf as it always is at Augusta National. Scottie Scheffler looks like a multiple major champion in the making, but the competition is fierce with many other multiple major winners already and many threatening to join that group, so some riveting golf ahead. The PGA Championship is at Southern Hills in Tulsa, OK May 19-22nd, the U.S. Open is June 16th-19th on NBC at the Country Club in Brookline, MA. sight of the U.S., Ryder Cup winning team in 1993 and Justin Leonard’s historic 70 footer. The Open Championship is July 14th-17th at historic St. Andrews in Fife, Scotland. So the majors look riveting and the regular season looks electric as well.

Winner this week

The RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head. Super field with guys like Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Cantlay, former champion Webb Simpson, Sungjae Im, Matt Kuchar, Tyrrell Hatton, Joaquin Niemann, Daniel Berger and Corey Conners.

The defending champion is the great 48 year old Stewart Cink. You can win golf tournaments in your late 40’s on the PGA Tour and maybe into your early 50’s. Guys take such good care of themselves now that it is possible

TV

Thursday-Friday, 2-5 PM CT, Golf Channel. Saturday-Sunday, 12-2 PM CT, GC, 2-5 PM CT CBS.

Harbor Town is a par 71, 7,121 yards. The 18th is a terrific par 4, 485 yards long with water running down the entire left side and a dogleg right to left with a pretty narrow but long green. Should be some dramatics there on Sunday.

Weather is 79 Thursday, no rain, wind SSW 12 Friday, 73, Slight chance of rain 73, wind 13 MPH, Saturday, 75, chance of scattered showers, t storms, 44%, wind SE 9. Sunday, 75, 46% chance of scattered. NE !1.

I’ll take the 35 year old Irishman. He won the Open Championship in 2019, and won the WGC Bridgestone Invitational in August of 2015. He finished tied 3rd at the Masters last week shooting 3 under 69 on Sunday for a total 5 under score. Scheffler finished at -10 and Rory was second at -7.

Shane Lowry

Have a super Easter weekend. I’ll check back with you early next week.