AUGUSTA, GA. When you’re the number one ranked player in golf, the expectation is that you will always be either in the lead or very close to it.
Being at the top of the golf pyramid is a common location for Scottie Scheffler. The 29-year-old has been there since May 22, 2023. However, life does provide any number of twists and turns. Scottie and Meredith’s second child Remy was born March 27, 2006.
The approximate time frame for the arrival was known to the couple.
Entering the 2026 season Scheffler sent a clear and unmistakable message when winning the American Express event in the California desert.
He even extended his record PGA Tour consecutive top 10 streak to 18 before ending at the Genesis Invitational where he tied for 12th. But the exemplary play found a bit of a pothole when the Texan got off to poor starts at four of his five starts following his appearance at Riviera CC.
Scheffler opted to skip the Houston tour event and coming into Augusta the opinions varied on whether Scottie would be ready to mount an effort in securing his third green jacket.
Thursday’s opening round showed a clear resolve to get into the mix with Scheffler scoring a two-under-par 70. But what was clear was that others were ready to make their presence known. Defending champion Rory McIlroy sent a clear message with a solid five-under-par 67 and a share of the lead with Sam Burns.
Day two for Scheffler was one where frustration with his game happened. Matters were not helped with a balky putter that failed to hold several makeable putts on the inward half. The result? A two-over-par 74 and a 36-hole total of 144. That effort placed Scheffler a hefty 12 shots behind McIlroy who closed with six birdies on his final seven holes for a 65 and 132 total.
Saturday is traditionally called “moving day” at Augusta National because those trailing need to come out of the gate with a scoring effort that can resurrect their hopes.
Scheffler got his round going with a spectacular eagle at the par-5 2nd. A trio of birdies happened at holes 7-9 and the momentum for a superlative round was now in place with an outward nine score of 31.
Scheffler started the back nine by making his fourth consecutive birdie at the 10th. Unfortunately, the round stalled with him failing to make birdie at both of the par-5s on the back nine — the 13th and 15th holes.
Even with that Scottie did birdie the par-3 16th and closed out the round with pars on 17 and 18.
Starting the third round, Scheffler was 12 shots out of the lead. With just one round to play he has cut the deficit to two shots – trailing McIlroy and Cameron Young who matched the 65 Scottie scored.
Overcoming a final round four-shot deficit is something Scottie has done. During the Olympics golf competition in 2024 in Paris, he trailed by an equal number of shots and had to climb over no less than eight players. Scheffler fashioned a tour de force closing 18-hole score of 62 and took possession of the gold medal.
Could a second consecutive score of 65 be good enough to secure his third green jacket? That’s hard to say but should Scheffler get off to a fast start, the ratcheting upwards of a final rounds Master pressure cooker will be noticeable to those he is chasing.
Last year when McIlroy won the Masters to complete the career Grand Slam, it was Scheffler who helped the Northern Irishman on with his green jacket. At that specific moment Scottie had a clear wake-up call forcing him to raise his performance and the rest of 2026 showed as much with him winning two major championships and Player-of-the-Year award for the fourth consecutive year — 2022 thru 2025.
Sundays at Augusta are among the most dramatic situations in all of golf. Scottie Scheffler got himself back into contention Saturday. The mountain he needs to climb is a very tall one but those counting him out had best realize the four-time major winner and twice winner of the Masters remains a formidable presence.
Related: Augusta National’s formidable “Magnolia”
