2 weeks Ago By Patrick Austen-Hardy
Scottie Scheffler admitted he burst into tears on the eve of the final round of the 2022 Masters . Two-time champion Scheffler, 28, has endured a trickier time at Augusta National this year, as he is going into the final round in T6, seven shots off current leader Rory McIlroy. His performances in this year's opening Major have not come close to his barnstorming display in 2022, when he won his first green jacket.
At the time, Scheffler was only 25 and had never won a Major title, despite claiming the World No.1 spot after winning three of his last five tournaments. Scheffler pipped McIlroy to the title in Georgia that year, beating the Northern Irishman by three shots.
But while he was so composed and collected around the course, US star Scheffler surprised everybody by admitting the intense stress of the competition saw him burst into tears before the final round. After claiming the Green Jacket, he admitted: "I cried like a baby this morning. I was so stressed out.
I didn't know what to do. “I was sitting there telling Meredith, I don't think I'm ready for this. I'm not ready, I don't feel like I'm ready for this kind of stuff, and I just felt overwhelmed.
"I think when she made me some more food, had a big breakfast. My stomach has been hurting for two days straight. I would say I calmed down when I got to the course.
” When further pushed on why he was so emotional, Scheffler added: "I think because it's the Masters. I dreamed of having a chance to play in this golf tournament. I teared up the first time I got my invitation in the mail.
"We were fortunate enough to play here in college, and I love this place. I love this golf course. If you're going to choose a golf tournament to win, this would be the tournament I would want to win.
"You don't know how many chances you're going to get. And so having a chance – I think I had a five-shot lead on Friday and then a three-shot lead going into today, I don't know if you get better opportunities than that. You don't want to waste them.
"The human condition is to make things bigger than they really are. And years from now I would say people may not remember me as a champion, and that's fine. But in the moment, you think it's a lot bigger deal than it really is.
" Scheffler would go on to win the Masters again in 2024, beating closest challenger Lucas Aberg by four shots. He was one of the favorites to emerge from Augusta victorious once more, but he has fallen far behind McIlroy and needs a real comeback to compete on Sunday. Going into the final round, Scheffler is five under, tied with Shane Lowry, Justin Rose and Jason Day.
The World No.1 is seven shots behind McIlroy, who after a difficult first round has roared into the lead. He is two shots ahead of nearest challenger Bryson Dechambeau, who will not go away easily at Augusta.
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