Scottie Scheffler has won the 2022 Masters by three strokes from Rory McIlroy, after the Northern Irishman lit up Augusta with a stunning final-round 64 at Augusta.
Shane Lowry finished in tied third place with Cameron Smith in what was a memorable week for the Irish at men's golf's first Major of the year.
Not to be for Rory McIlroy, but another glimpse of what is possible. McIlroy – with only the Masters missing from his career CV and being a part of that exclusive Grand Slam club – finished with a fantastic closing round 64 for a total of seven-under-par 281 that gave him solo runner-up finish to Scottie Scheffler in the 86th edition of the Masters tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
What a way to finish. McIlroy holes out on No. 18 to put pressure on the leader. #themasters pic.twitter.com/L5fWWbR9cj
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 10, 2022
As Scheffler, the 25-year-old American, lived up to his world number one billing in claiming a breakthrough Major title, McIlroy – dramatically holing out from a greenside bunker on the finishing hole – brought back the vigour and zeal of his younger days on tour to show that golf still has a lot of love to give.
While Scheffler, after a shaky start, finally got the job done, it proved to be a tremendously satisfying final round for the Irish contingent. Not alone did McIlroy claim the outright second place, but Shane Lowry birdied his closing hole for a 69 for 183 that enabled him to finish in tied-third while Séamus Power, in his first appearance in a Major, finished in tied-27th. Three Irish inside the top-30, two inside the top-5.
“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... . this tournament never ceases to amaze. Yeah, that’s as happy as I’ve been on a golf course right there. Just having a chance,” said McIlroy, who produced the round of the week but ultimately just short of landing the one Major that has proved to be elusive.
Great effort
McIlroy gave it a great effort in his on-going quest to add the Masters to his career haul of British Open, US Open and US PGA titles. “I can’t ask any more of myself. I went out there there, shot my best ever score at Augusta, and it’s going to be my best ever finish... I’ll come back next year and keep trying,” said the Northern Irishman, nowadays ranked ninth in the world.
For Shane Lowry, a final round 69 for 283 gave him a share of third place: “I had higher hopes. It’s one of those weeks. It’s golf, and sometimes it’s not quite your week, and the putts don’t quite drop, and that’s kind of how it was this week. I hit it nicely. Gave myself chances, especially the last three days. I just wasn’t able to take advantage. Sometimes leaving it in the jaws, even on 18, there was a tiny too much speed along the top edge. It’s small, little differences out here.”
In the case of Séamus Power, victory was never on the cards. But, again, in a very strong Irish showing the Waterford golfer closed out with a 70 for 292 in tied-27th place.
Of playing his first Major, Power described it: “You really realise that you just have to hit very, very good shots. A lot of things you kind of know. It’s like people tell you little things, like 12 has got to be the very exact shot. Coming in you’re like, ‘it can’t be that exact’, but then you really do see it. You are hitting reasonably good shots, and they’re ending up in tough spots, and that’s why it’s soft. That’s why whoever is going to win today is going to be the best player, which is all you can ask for from a course really.”
With further appearances in the Majors at next month’s US PGA, the US Open in June and the British Open in July on the horizon, Power added:
“I felt like a birdie fest out there for me. I played nicely again. Similar stuff, I just didn’t quite get the putter going, but I hit a lot of good stuff today and played the par-5s much better. That’s the difference. I was 3-under for par-5s today, and it just changes your whole outlook on the course. Then you can be more patient when you need to be patient.
“It was good. It was fun. This is kind of what you picture. It’s perfect weather, sun shining, really fast greens, and just light breeze, kind of just making it tricky. It was beautiful out there.”
Scheffler, who has been in remarkable form this season, with wins in the Phoenix Open, the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the WGC-Dell Technologies matchplay, closed with final round 71 for a total of 278 which gave him a three shot winning margin over McIlroy with Lowry tied for third alongside Cameron Smith.
Scheffler got off to a shaky start but had the unlikeliest of chip-ins for birdie on the third to act as a springboard in his ultimate bid for glory, as he went bogey free all the way to the closing hole when it didn’t really make any odds.
Collated final round scores & totals in The Masters, Augusta National:
(USA unless stated, Par 72):
(a) denotes amateurs
278 Scottie Scheffler 69 67 71 71
281 Rory McIlroy (NIrl) 73 73 71 64
283 Shane Lowry (Irl) 73 68 73 69, Cameron Smith (Aus) 68 74 68 73
284 Collin Morikawa 73 70 74 67
285 Corey Conners (Can) 70 73 72 70, Will Zalatoris 71 72 75 67
287 Sung Jae Im (Kor) 67 74 71 75, Justin Thomas 76 67 72 72
288 Cameron Champ 72 75 71 70, Charl Schwartzel (Rsa) 72 69 73 74
289 Dustin Johnson 69 73 75 72, Danny Willett (Eng) 69 74 73 73
290 Matthew Fitzpatrick (Eng) 71 73 76 70, Tommy Fleetwood (Eng) 75 72 70 73, Talor Gooch 72 74 73 71, Harry Higgs 71 75 73 71, Jason Kokrak 70 76 71 73, Min-Woo Lee (Aus) 73 75 72 70, Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn) 72 69 77 72, Kevin Na 71 71 79 69, Lee Westwood (Eng) 72 74 73 71
291 Sergio Garcia (Spa) 72 74 74 71, Robert MacIntyre (Sco) 73 73 76 69, J. J. Spaun 74 70 75 72, Harold Varner III 71 71 80 69
292 Viktor Hovland (Nor) 72 76 71 73, Seamus Power (Irl) 74 74 74 70, Jon Rahm (Spa) 74 72 77 69
293 Lucas Glover 72 76 72 73, Russell Henley 73 74 76 70, Marc Leishman (Aus) 73 75 71 74, Sepp Straka (Aut) 74 72 76 71, Hudson Swafford 77 69 73 74
294 Tony Finau 71 75 74 74, Joaquin Niemann (Chi) 69 74 77 74, Patrick Reed 74 73 73 74, Webb Simpson 71 74 73 76
295 Patrick Cantlay 70 75 79 71, Tom Hoge 73 74 75 73, Si Woo Kim (Kor) 76 70 73 76, Bubba Watson 73 73 78 71
296 Billy Horschel 74 73 79 70
297 Christiaan Bezuidenhout (Rsa) 73 71 77 76, Kevin Kisner 75 70 75 77
300 Cameron Davis (Aus) 75 73 79 73
301 Tiger Woods 71 74 78 78
302 Max Homa 74 73 77 78, Adam Scott (Aus) 74 74 80 74
303 Daniel Berger 71 75 77 80, Mackenzie Hughes (Can) 73 75 77 78
305 Tyrrell Hatton (Eng) 72 74 79 80
