Scottie Scheffler continues his year for eternity with the Masters title

Scottie Scheffler, already on the run for his life, is now a big champion after winning the Masters on Sunday

Scottie Scheffler is just 25 years old. He is only in his third full season on the PGA Tour. He has many more tournaments and many more years ahead of him. But this year, 2022, and this week at Augusta National, he will never be forgotten.

Scheffler’s name has now gone down in history alongside Tiger, Jack and Arnie. He’s on a fabulous run that only legendary players like her can match. And that run, which began two months ago in Phoenix, went straight down Magnolia Lane, opened the door to the Butler Cabin, and slipped into a green jacket as Scheffler captured his 86th Masters title on Sunday.

The tall Texan was already the hottest player in the world to come to the Masters with three wins in his last five events. He then set a tournament record by five shots after 36 holes and led by three shots into the finals. However, his lead was reduced to just one after closest pursuer and playing partner Cameron Smith shagged the first two holes.

Then came his moment that will live on in tournament history. This week marked Tiger Woods’ return to the game after 508 days. In 2005, Woods hit his “in your life” chipshot on his way to the Green Jacket. Scheffler now has his “Is that good” chip, a low bump-and-run from just short of the green on the par-4 third hole that hit the pin and ran into an unlikely birdie.

From there, while Smith and then Rory McIlroy drew within three points at times, the Masters seemed more like a crowning glory for Scheffler as he took his place as golf’s most dominant player. There’s little he hasn’t achieved in the past eight weeks: his first PGA Tour title; his first World Golf Championship; becoming world No. 1, the third fastest player behind Woods and Jordan Spieth; and now finally the last piece, a great championship.

Even he couldn’t have foreseen how much his career would change in just two short months. “I’ve never been someone who likes to look too far into the future. So for me, the best thing to do is just stay present,” he said. “Even if I’m asked the question when are you going to get your first win, when are you going to do that, the only time I really thought about it was back then. And for me, I do my best to just stay present and enjoy the moment. And that’s what I did today.”

Scheffler finished 10-under, three shots ahead of McIlroy. It could have been more after missing two short putts on the 18th hole. With three wins already in 2022 ahead of this week, he becomes the first since Arnold Palmer in 1960 to win the Masters for his fourth title of the year. With Woods dominating the Tour, only Jason Day has won four times in six events in 2015 as Scheffler does now.

Scottie Scheffler never dreamed of a run like this

This is the company he keeps: Golf legends, Hall of Famers and great champions. He didn’t grow up dreaming of playing like her. He just loved playing golf and wanted to make it his career. Everything else far exceeded his expectations.

“I’ve always wanted to be out here. I never expected it. I never expected to be where I am now,” he said. “You don’t expect things to come to you in this life, you just do the best you can with the hand you’ve been dealt and just go from there. I never thought I would be that good at golf, so I just kept practicing and working hard.”

The whole world now knows how good he is. And he has the game to make it last. Day and Spieth had a magical 2015. Both never reached those heights again. In golf, it’s difficult to stay consistent for so long.

While Scheffler may not be able to match this pace — and no one except Woods ever does — he will look back on the start of 2022 as a special time. For that moment, he played like Tiger in his prime. But he shouldn’t have to worry about that. With his powerful shots, cool demeanor and fine short game there is still plenty up for grabs which looks like a bright future for him.

This is just the beginning.