Scheffler and wife Meredith embrace after his historic win – photo Hunter Martin Augusta National
Scottie Scheffler has confirmed and consolidated his standing as the number one player in men’s golf with a three-shot win over Rory McIlroy at the Masters to win his fourth PGA Tour event in his last six starts and claim his first major title.
Scheffler took a three shot lead into today’s final round and although that lead was reduced to one when his nearest rival, Cameron Smith, opened with two birdies, a stunning hole out for birdie from below the green at the 3rd, re-established the cushion when Smith took bogey from a similar position.
Smith lost further ground but birdied the difficult 11th to reduce the margin to three once again but there is a fine line between pleasure and pain at Augusta National and Smith was about to experience the worst of pain when he dumped his 9 iron into the water at the 12th, pitched long after taking a drop and then took three more to get down.
“Just a really bad swing at the wrong time,” said Smith when asked the reason for the poor shot at the 12th. “It was actually a really good number. It was a really nice 9-iron. Wasn’t even trying to go near that pin, and, yeah, just a really poor swing.
“I was obviously very frustrated after the 12th hole today, but just hung in there and tried to finish off on a positive.”
The triple bogey was a stab to the heart and, all of a sudden, Smith was five behind the leader. Failing to get up and down for birdie at the par 5, 13th was another missed opportunity to regain lost ground for the Queenslander.”
Smith would drop a further shot at the 14th but to his absolute credit he hit a fine 7 wood second to the 15th and two putted for birdie then holed from 25 feet behind the hole at the 16th for another.
Scheffler, though, was making no mistakes and ahead on the golf course, it was McIlroy who was completing a final round of 64, one of the finest bunker shots of all time rounding out a finish that would see him leap into outright second place.
Scheffler birdied the 14th and 15th and when he arrived at the 18th tee he was five ahead of McIlroy who had finished 50 minutes earlier.
When the leader found the green with his second from the right hand rough, a huge winning margin appeared assured. Almost inexplicably he would four putt the last for a double bogey six and, although the winning margin was reduced to three, it flattered the chasers to a large extent and Scheffler was a comfortable winner.
He was asked whether he had allowed himself to imagine walking up the last with the lead he responded;
“Definitely throughout the round today when I built up a little bit of a lead, I didn’t want any stress towards the end of the day, and I didn’t break my concentration until we got on to the green on 18. Once we got on to the green, I was like, all right, I’m going to enjoy this, and had some fun with it.
“I really don’t know what to say. It was definitely nice to build up a lead. Nothing is safe out there on the back nine on this golf course. I’ve heard all the things that everybody says, it doesn’t start till the back nine on Sunday, anything can happen, don’t hit in the water on 12, all the stuff. You know, I just blocked most of that out and tried to execute and hit good golf shots.
“I don’t think anything has sunk in at the moment. My head is skill kind of spinning. I was so focused for so long this week. Major championship golf is brutal and especially around a golf course like this and the conditions we played it in; you can see the scores, this golf course was not playing easy this week.
“It was such a mental grind and you know winning this golf tournament, I’m so humbled to be here. I was just — I’m just glad to be a part of the field. I’m glad to be able to come out here and have a chance to compete. To be able to win this tournament, I can’t say enough about it.”
For Smith it was a disappointing finish to what at times appeared a possible first major title but he would add to his already fine record at Augusta National where he has now recorded a runner-up, a 3rd a 5th and 10th place finish in six starts.
“I feel like I’ve played some of my best golf around here,” added Smith. “It’s quite frustrating, I guess, to not walk away with a win yet, but at the same token, I look forward to the challenge of coming back here next year and trying to do it again.
“I feel like I hung in there tough a couple of days. Friday, I feel it probably could have got away from me a little bit, and then again this afternoon, so it was good, mate. My game feels really good. I feel really confident in my game. I feel really comfortable around here.
“I love this place. I’ll be back here next year and trying to put up another one.”
He might not have won today but his record speaks for itself and a Green Jacket must surely be part of his future.
Smith is likely to improve two places to 4th in the world ranking when the revised standings are released later today.
McIlroy has seldom been more excited on a golf course than he was after holing his bunker shot at the last.
“It’s what you dream about, right? You dream about getting yourself in position. I wasn’t quite close enough to the lead, I don’t think. Scottie is playing really, really well. To play as well as I did today and then to finish like this, I mean, it’s just absolutely incredible.
“This tournament never ceases to amaze. Yeah, that’s as happy as I’ve ever been on a golf course right there. Just having a chance, and then with Collin, we both played so well all day, and for both of us to finish like this, I was just so happy for him too.
“That was an incredible — I’ve never heard roars like on the 18th green. It was really cool.
“I gave it a great go, and I can’t ask any more of myself. I went out there today, shot my best ever score at Augusta, and I’m probably — it’s going to be my best finish ever. Probably not quite good enough, but I’ll come back next year and keep trying.”
Min Woo Lee was the next best of the Australians when finishing tied for 14th on debut following an even par round. It was a very impressive start to his Masters’ career and irrespective of what happens over the next twelve months he is assured of a return to the Masters in 2023 because of his top 16 finish.
“Yeah, coming into this week I wasn’t, obviously, playing that well,” said Lee. “So this place gets you on another level just because you’re in front of millions of people and you need to play good. There’s some demanding shots out here, and it makes you kind of reverse psychology and tell yourself you just have to commit to it. If you have a bad swing, you have a bad swing, but you just have to commit to every shot out here.
“I guess I didn’t feel that good with the putter, and the last couple of weeks I think I improved strokes gained on the putter a lot. So really positive vibes there. I’ll take a few weeks off now and work on a couple of things, but maybe a little celebratory drinks with the team tonight.”
Marc Leishman shared 30th, Cameron Davis 46th and Adam Scott 48th.
SCORES
Scheffler arrives at the 72nd hole – Scott Brown Augusta National
Hannah Green finishes runner-up in Los Angeles
Hannah Green this week – Michael Owens Getty / LPGA
She may have finished five shots behind the runaway winner, Nasa Hataoka, but the runner-up finish of Perth’s Hannah Green in this week’s DIO Implant LA Open was the 25-year old’s best LPGA Tour finish since finishing in the same position at the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore twelve months ago.
Green had also finished 3rd in this same event and at the same venue a week earlier than the Singapore event in 2021.
Green began the final round four shots behind the eventual winner, Hataoka, and although she began her round with two early birdies, it was a case of whatever she could do, the Japanese star would match and better it.
By the turn she had fallen five behind and when Hataoka eagled the 15th the probable became inevitable and Hataoka would go on to win by five to secure her 6th LPGA Tour title.
Green secures a cheque for US$177,000.
“Yeah, definitely really happy with how things are trending,” said Green. “It was nice to be a bit more consistent. Last week I got off to a great start and then just couldn’t maintain it in Hawaii.
“So I feel like once I get the putter hot I’m pretty excited to see what’s to come.
“I guess I’ve had good results here at Wilshire before. I came tied third so I kind of knew that it was possible to have a good result here.
“Next week — every course is very different, but I just had good feelings. Just it was nice to see some putts go in today. Just made my confidence go up a little bit higher.
“Hopefully I can continue that into next week and the rest of the year.”
Minjee Lee matched Green’s final round of 68 and finished in a three way share of third with Madelene Sagstrom and Inbee Park.
“To be fair, I’m probably a little disappointed in my performance this week,” said Lee. “I made a lot of bogeys but I did make a lot of birdies, so I guess that’s the good thing.
“But, I mean, Top 5, I don’t think I can really be too disappointed, but hopefully better things to come next week.”
Meghan MacLaren Australian success continues with Bonville win
Meghan MacLaren – photo Ladies European Tour
England’s Meghan MacLaren has won the Australian Women’s Classic at the Bonville Golf Resort in Coffs Harbour, a birdie at the last hole edging her clear of Sweden’s Maja Stark in the event reduced to 54 holes after weather interruptions earlier in the week.
After an outward nine of 37 today, MacLaren had lost her 36 hole lead but she stormed home with a final nine of 4 under 33 to regain the lead and eventually win by one over Stark, both players producing birdies at the final hole with Stark finishing two clear of England’s Hannah Burke, Spain’s Carmen Alonso and Argentinian Magdalena Schimmermacher.
For the 27 year old MacLaren, it was her third win on the Ladies European Tour, the first coming when successful at the NSW Women’s Open in 2018. She also won the NSW Women’s Open in 2019 and from her current ranking of 419th in the Rolex Ranking she will improve sharply.
MacLaren wins €36,000 for her efforts and will head to next week’s Women’s NSW Open at Coolangatta Tweed Golf Club on the Queensland/NSW Border where she will face a similar field in attempting to secure her third victory in the event.
The leading Australians were amateurs Justice Bosio and the 15 year old from the Gold Coast, Sarah Hammett who tied for a very impressive 6th place at 6 under and four from the lead
Pre-tournament favourite, Sarah Kemp, left her best to last with a final round of 68 to finish tied for 8th.
SCORES
Anthony Quayle’s brilliant weekend in Japan
Anthony Quayle – file photo Bruce Young
Queensland’s Anthony Quayle has recorded his best finish on the Japan Golf Tour in nearly two years with a share of 6th place at the ISPS Handa Championship in Ibaraki near Tokyo.
This was Quayle’s third event of the 2022 Japan Tour season after missing the cut in his first and then finishing 40th last week so this is a big improvement for the 27-year-old Gold Coast based golfer.
Quayle finished five shots behind the 23-year-old winner, Yuto Katsuragawa, who broke through for his maiden win with a one-shot victory over Rikuya Hoshino.
Quayle’s weekend was simply stunning producing rounds of 64 and 65 to jump from 43rd on Friday evening to his eventual share of 6th place.
“I think I did as much as I needed to. I thought I still stood a fighting chance. If only I had a few things gone my way,” said Quayle.
“Without the three bogeys, it could have been a nine-under to put me in a pretty good chance to contend at 22-under overall.
“But like I said yesterday, for me to make it happen, I would still need some help from the leaders, but they were all playing very well today.”
New Zealand’s Michael Henry finished 10th in his first start of the season after contracting Covid earlier in the year.
Brad Kennedy finished 16th, while Matthew Griffin and Brendan Jones were 43rd.
SCORES
Hannah Green holds second place at LA Open
Hannah Green – photo Michael Owens – Getty Images
Australia’s Hannah Green is in outright second and four shots from the leader, Nasa Hataoka, as the Dio Implant LA Open enters tomorrow’s final round.
Green improved one spot from her overnight 3rd with a round of 69 on the Wilshire Country Club in her 6th LPGA Tour start of the season, her best finish to date being when 8th at the HSBC event in Singapore.
“I think my putting has kind of been the thing I’ve been working on,” said Green when asked what aspects of the game she had been putting most emphasis on. “I feel like I hit the ball good in Hawaii, I just didn’t necessarily putt very well, so it kind of made everything feel a little bit tougher.
“So I actually took Monday off this week. I was pretty tired from just playing in the wind and traveling, also, from Hawai’i. Just came out and did some putting and some short game, just trying to get as much confidence as possible.
Green is chasing a third LPGA Tour title and after a good start to the year when playing mixed gender events in Australia she appears to be building towards just that.
Green acknowledged the fact that the Wilshire layout does not require power but rather finesse. “I think that’s been the difference this week is having slightly shorter clubs in, but you don’t have to hit driver everywhere here. I don’t think it makes much of an advantage for those longer hitters, I think just those that are accurate and have a good putting game.”
“I feel like I haven’t played my entire best, so I’m hoping tomorrow I can kind of get everything to go my way and try and put as much pressure on Nasa as possible.”
Hataoka is chasing her 6th LPGA Tour title and has a nice cushion heading into the final round and she is a little surprised about being in the lead.
“Yes, to be honest, I didn’t expect this position at the beginning of this week,” said the Japanese star. “But like I said before, something clicked inside me during yesterday’s round so I’ll try to keep that momentum going forward for tomorrow’s round.”
Green’s fellow West Australian, Minjee Lee, is the only other Australian in the weekend field and is three shots behind Green and seven shots from the lead.
Cameron Davis’ brilliant weekend secures third place at RBC Heritage
Cameron Davis – file photo
Australia’s Cameron Davis has produced a stunning weekend at the RBC Heritage Classic on Hilton Head Island to narrowly miss a second PGA Tour title.
Davis finished in a seven way share of third place just one shot behind the playoff between Patrick Cantlay and Jordan Spieth which eventually went the way of Spieth who defeated Patrick Cantlay at the first hole of a playoff.
For the Sydney native, he recorded his 7th top ten on the PGA Tour including his breakthrough win at the Rocket Mortgage event last year.
Davis made the cut on the number on Friday and was at that point nine shots behind the 36-hole leader, Patrick Cantlay.
A third round of 4 under 67 improved him to 38th place but he was still seven shots behind the leader, Harold Varner 111, heading into the last round.
He would, though, race to the turn in 31 today and added three more birdies on the way in for a best of the day round of 63 to be tied in the lead when he finished his round more than three hours ahead of the final group.
“I played obviously pretty well today tee to green and started knocking some putts in,” said Davis. “I’ve been putting in a lot of good work over the last few weeks, and it was nice to see it turn itself into a really good score.
“I started putting some good work into play. I’d had a couple of weeks off and did a really good job. My coach was able to make it over from Australia for the first time in a while. So that work was started at Augusta. Unfortunately, it didn’t lead to awesome golf there, but it was definitely trending and kind of accumulated to today where it felt like everything was working quite well.
“I’m very pleased. I’m glad I hung on at the end there. Hit a couple of squirrely shots, but almost got that one on 18, which would have been nice. But I can’t complain.
“I love this course. I love the trees and the fairways. In Seattle, I play at Sahalee, and you get plenty of good practice having aerial obstacles in your way when you’re in the fairways.
“I just love shaping it around the trees. I love the course giving you shots and challenging you to hit the right one. Obviously the wind was pretty tricky. This kind of course in that wind gets pretty crazy. But on a day like today and yesterday where it’s all about you and how well you hit it rather than up to the luck of the draw with the wind, it was really satisfying to play a course like this and play it well.”
Davis earned US$330,000 for his share of third.
Eventually, Jordan Spieth would birdie the final hole to complete a round of 66 and take the lead and waited while a large group of players still in contention remained on the course as possible hopes for the title.
Cantlay birdied the 17th and then missed a very makeable birdie attempt at the last which would have given him the title outright but he and Jordan headed back to the 18th tee with Spieth successful after making par from the bunker.
For Spieth it was his first top ten in the event and his first win since Easter last year, interestingly enough, when successful at the Valero Texas Open.
Solid weeks for Kemp and Kyriacou in Hawaii
Sarah Kemp – a solid week ahead of a return to Bonville Golf Resort in Coffs Harbour (pictured) this week
It might not have been anything too startling, but the share of 26th that both Stephanie Kyraicou and Sarah Kemp finished in at the Lotte Championship in Hawaii represents their best LPGA Tour finish of 2022, understandably for Kryiacou in particular as for her this was just her second LPGA Tour start of the year.
Kemp was playing her sixth LPGA Tour event of the year and her form especially early in the week will be a significant boost given that she has made only one cut in those starts and that when 56th in Singapore.
Kemp was alone in second place in this week’s event through 36 holes but she struggled to a 3rd round of 78 and fell back before a final round of 73 saw her share 26th place and earn a cheque for US$16,000.
Kyriacou is in her first season on the LPGA after two successful seasons on the LET where she won two events before qualifying to play the LPGA Tour via the LPGA Tour School.
The 21-year-old Sydney golfer also began the event well before consecutive rounds of 73 to finish but she will be encouraged with a solid week at this higher level.
For Kemp she will now take advantage of the earlier finish than normal to head back to Australia to play an LET Tour event in Bonville in her homes state of NSW next week.
Kyriacou is entered to play an LPGA Tour event in Los Angeles this coming week.
SCORES
Sarah Kemp’s form reversal leads to contention in Hawaii
Sarah Kemp – photo Getty Images Sean Haffley
Australian, Sarah Kemp, has made a fine start to the Lotte Championship at the Hoakalei Country Club on Oahu in Hawaii, the 36 year old adding a second round of 69 to her opening 68 to be in second place as the event heads into the final 36 holes.
Kemp is at 7 under par and three shots behind the leader and four time LPGA Tour event winner, Hyo Joo Kim.
Kemp has played the LPGA Tour in fits and starts since 2008, often struggling to retain status but 2021 was one of her better seasons and although 2022 has been a tough start to date, this is an encouraging effort ahead of a return to play an event in Australia next week.
Her early 2022 season was hampered by issues surrounding Covid, making her unable to play the WAPGA Championship staged in conjunction with the Australian PGA Championship in Brisbane in January and others in Australia and she was unable to get her season underway until early February.
Her results to date in 2022 have been well below her best but this week she has found something, three hole-outs aiding her cause but clearly it has been more than that which sees her contending heading into the weekend.
“Yeah, really solid,” said Kemp. “Lots of fairways, greens. I had a chip-in. Rolled it really well. It was just steady. I hit one fairway bunker short, but, yeah, just overall really steady. I haven’t played that good all year, so it’s nice to finally get the year started.
“You know, same kind of stuff. Like I’ve been terrible at being patient I felt like. I missed the cut by one at ANA and I sort of trended slowly, very slowly in the right direction.
“But it’s been super frustrating, and it’s just nice that, yeah, I guess I remained patient and just kept doing the same thing.
I haven’t started off the year very well at all. I have slowly gotten a little bit better, but I still missed the ANA cut by one and San Diego by a few more.
“But I gradually got a little better each time. That was in the back of my mind. But, yeah, you know, overall, my life’s pretty good off the golf course, so that’s the main thing, so I’m happy with that.
“But, it was hard the first couple months. Wasn’t the start that I wanted to. I got COVID in January and I missed the first event; didn’t get to play a tournament in Australia.
Kemps’ two best performances on the LPGA Tour came in 2021 when finishing 4th and 5th in two events and while yet to win a career event on either the LPGA or LET Tours, it appears the New South Wales golfer is getting better with age.
Hannah Green and rookie Stephanie Kyriacou are the next best of the Australasians although Green will be ruing three dropped shots late in her round after being inside the top 5 beforehand. Green and Kyriacou are 19th at 2 under par.
Defending champion Lydia Ko is at even par and Su Oh at 3 over.
Queenslander, Karis Davidson, making her debut on the LPGA Tour, has missed the cut after rounds of 76 and 74 while Sarah Jane Smith was even further back.
Presidents Cup returning to Melbourne in 2028
The winning American team in 2019 – article PGA Tour
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA, USA, and MELBOURNE, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA – The PGA TOUR today announced a long-term commitment to staging the Presidents Cup in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, with the biennial global team competition set to return to the iconic Sandbelt in 2028 and 2040. The 2028 Presidents Cup will mark the event’s fourth visit to Melbourne, matching Gainesville (Virginia, USA) for most Cups contested in one city.
The venue for the 2028 Presidents Cup will be announced at a later date. The Presidents Cup was staged at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club in its three previous trips to Melbourne (1998, 2011, 2019), with the International Team defeating the U.S. Team in 1998 under the leadership of the late Peter Thomson, while the U.S. Team claimed the Cup in 2011 and 2019.
“Since the Presidents Cup was first staged in Melbourne in 1998, Australia and its passionate fanbase have played a leading role in the growth of the Presidents Cup,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan.
“As the event continues to visit new corners of the globe, we remain committed to a presence in Melbourne and the Sandbelt region, a place our players and fans around the world hold in high regard. Our partnership with State of Victoria and Visit Victoria has been a winning combination, and we’re thrilled with the support we’ve received from Premier Andrews in securing the 2028 and 2040 dates.”
Australia was the Presidents Cup’s first international destination, and has since visited South Africa (2003), Canada (2007) and Korea (2015) in addition to twice returning to Australia.
The Presidents Cup was last played in 2019 at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club, which saw the U.S. Team mount a thrilling comeback on the final day to claim victory over a renewed International Team in Australia. The Presidents Cup will return in 2022 at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, September 20-25, following a one-year delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
photo – Chris Chronis Getty Images for Visit Victoria
Cameron Smith looking ahead not back
Smith en route to his 9th place last year – photo Getty / PGA Tour
Not that finishing in a share of third at The Masters is anything to sneeze at, but Cameron Smith will no doubt be keen to overcome the disappointment of a mid-round stumble at Augusta National on Sunday and get back to his winning ways at the RBC Heritage Classic this weekend.
That he enjoys a solid record at the Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina may well have swayed his decision to play the event and perhaps a wish to repay the tournament for an early career invitation to the event may also have played its part in Smith being here.
Smith finished a very important 15th in one of his very first PGA Tour events and when without status on the tour at this course back in 2015 and a last round of 66 seeing him finish 9th last year highlights a golf course that offers good memories but he arrives after a couple of days rest to get over the demands of last Sunday.
“I think after last week especially being in contention the whole week gets quite mentally draining and just exhausting,” said Smith. “So, yeah, a couple days off I went back to Jacksonville, spent a day there with some buddies, my mom and my dad, and then we come up here yesterday afternoon and, yeah, took a pretty easy again.
Smith was asked how he was feeling after the near miss last week and was quick to point out that there were no real concerns.
“I don’t think I was down in the dumps. I was just frustrated. I feel as though I was one really good swing away from really contending and that’s just how golf is, especially around that golf course. I feel as though sometimes you can even hit really good golf shots and end up making bogeys and doubles around there.
“So, yeah, just a little bit frustrated. My game’s in a good spot, I’m happy with how I guess handled the situation after and yeah, I’m just really looking forward to competing again this week. That’s kind of in the rear-view mirror now.
“The last couple of months I felt really good with my game, I feel as though I’m playing the best golf of my life and I think I’m right where I need to be, just need to keep working hard and keep putting myself in good spots on Sundays.”
Smith and Cameron Davis are the only Australians in an event and on a golf course that has typically been good to Australians with Graham Marsh, Greg Norman, Peter Lonard and Aaron Baddeley, previous winners.
Davis plays the event for the second occasion having finished 25th last year after three of his four rounds in the 60’s. Davis made the cut on debut last week at The Masters last week and while his weekend rounds were disappointing he was not alone in struggling with the demands of Augusta National last week.
I fancy Dustin Johnson as a real chance to win this event for the first occasion this week. He played well at The Masters and was 4th at the Match Play and he appears to be returning to some of his best form.
Johnson has recorded 13 of his 16 rounds in the event in the 60’s.
Scheffler claims first major with three shot victory
Scheffler and wife Meredith embrace after his historic win – photo Hunter Martin Augusta National
Scottie Scheffler has confirmed and consolidated his standing as the number one player in men’s golf with a three-shot win over Rory McIlroy at the Masters to win his fourth PGA Tour event in his last six starts and claim his first major title.
Scheffler took a three shot lead into today’s final round and although that lead was reduced to one when his nearest rival, Cameron Smith, opened with two birdies, a stunning hole out for birdie from below the green at the 3rd, re-established the cushion when Smith took bogey from a similar position.
Smith lost further ground but birdied the difficult 11th to reduce the margin to three once again but there is a fine line between pleasure and pain at Augusta National and Smith was about to experience the worst of pain when he dumped his 9 iron into the water at the 12th, pitched long after taking a drop and then took three more to get down.
“Just a really bad swing at the wrong time,” said Smith when asked the reason for the poor shot at the 12th. “It was actually a really good number. It was a really nice 9-iron. Wasn’t even trying to go near that pin, and, yeah, just a really poor swing.
“I was obviously very frustrated after the 12th hole today, but just hung in there and tried to finish off on a positive.”
The triple bogey was a stab to the heart and, all of a sudden, Smith was five behind the leader. Failing to get up and down for birdie at the par 5, 13th was another missed opportunity to regain lost ground for the Queenslander.”
Smith would drop a further shot at the 14th but to his absolute credit he hit a fine 7 wood second to the 15th and two putted for birdie then holed from 25 feet behind the hole at the 16th for another.
Scheffler, though, was making no mistakes and ahead on the golf course, it was McIlroy who was completing a final round of 64, one of the finest bunker shots of all time rounding out a finish that would see him leap into outright second place.
Scheffler birdied the 14th and 15th and when he arrived at the 18th tee he was five ahead of McIlroy who had finished 50 minutes earlier.
When the leader found the green with his second from the right hand rough, a huge winning margin appeared assured. Almost inexplicably he would four putt the last for a double bogey six and, although the winning margin was reduced to three, it flattered the chasers to a large extent and Scheffler was a comfortable winner.
He was asked whether he had allowed himself to imagine walking up the last with the lead he responded;
“Definitely throughout the round today when I built up a little bit of a lead, I didn’t want any stress towards the end of the day, and I didn’t break my concentration until we got on to the green on 18. Once we got on to the green, I was like, all right, I’m going to enjoy this, and had some fun with it.
“I really don’t know what to say. It was definitely nice to build up a lead. Nothing is safe out there on the back nine on this golf course. I’ve heard all the things that everybody says, it doesn’t start till the back nine on Sunday, anything can happen, don’t hit in the water on 12, all the stuff. You know, I just blocked most of that out and tried to execute and hit good golf shots.
“I don’t think anything has sunk in at the moment. My head is skill kind of spinning. I was so focused for so long this week. Major championship golf is brutal and especially around a golf course like this and the conditions we played it in; you can see the scores, this golf course was not playing easy this week.
“It was such a mental grind and you know winning this golf tournament, I’m so humbled to be here. I was just — I’m just glad to be a part of the field. I’m glad to be able to come out here and have a chance to compete. To be able to win this tournament, I can’t say enough about it.”
For Smith it was a disappointing finish to what at times appeared a possible first major title but he would add to his already fine record at Augusta National where he has now recorded a runner-up, a 3rd a 5th and 10th place finish in six starts.
“I feel like I’ve played some of my best golf around here,” added Smith. “It’s quite frustrating, I guess, to not walk away with a win yet, but at the same token, I look forward to the challenge of coming back here next year and trying to do it again.
“I feel like I hung in there tough a couple of days. Friday, I feel it probably could have got away from me a little bit, and then again this afternoon, so it was good, mate. My game feels really good. I feel really confident in my game. I feel really comfortable around here.
“I love this place. I’ll be back here next year and trying to put up another one.”
He might not have won today but his record speaks for itself and a Green Jacket must surely be part of his future.
Smith is likely to improve two places to 4th in the world ranking when the revised standings are released later today.
McIlroy has seldom been more excited on a golf course than he was after holing his bunker shot at the last.
“It’s what you dream about, right? You dream about getting yourself in position. I wasn’t quite close enough to the lead, I don’t think. Scottie is playing really, really well. To play as well as I did today and then to finish like this, I mean, it’s just absolutely incredible.
“This tournament never ceases to amaze. Yeah, that’s as happy as I’ve ever been on a golf course right there. Just having a chance, and then with Collin, we both played so well all day, and for both of us to finish like this, I was just so happy for him too.
“That was an incredible — I’ve never heard roars like on the 18th green. It was really cool.
“I gave it a great go, and I can’t ask any more of myself. I went out there today, shot my best ever score at Augusta, and I’m probably — it’s going to be my best finish ever. Probably not quite good enough, but I’ll come back next year and keep trying.”
Min Woo Lee was the next best of the Australians when finishing tied for 14th on debut following an even par round. It was a very impressive start to his Masters’ career and irrespective of what happens over the next twelve months he is assured of a return to the Masters in 2023 because of his top 16 finish.
“Yeah, coming into this week I wasn’t, obviously, playing that well,” said Lee. “So this place gets you on another level just because you’re in front of millions of people and you need to play good. There’s some demanding shots out here, and it makes you kind of reverse psychology and tell yourself you just have to commit to it. If you have a bad swing, you have a bad swing, but you just have to commit to every shot out here.
“I guess I didn’t feel that good with the putter, and the last couple of weeks I think I improved strokes gained on the putter a lot. So really positive vibes there. I’ll take a few weeks off now and work on a couple of things, but maybe a little celebratory drinks with the team tonight.”
Marc Leishman shared 30th, Cameron Davis 46th and Adam Scott 48th.
SCORES
Scheffler arrives at the 72nd hole – Scott Brown Augusta National