AUGUSTA, Ga. — Collin Morikawa climbed the hill to the ninth green here Saturday at the Masters and was met with shouts and cheers.
Two groups later, Max Homa found an even louder welcome, perhaps the loudest of anyone not named Tiger Woods here Saturday, as fans chanted his name.
In between them arrived Scottie Scheffler, merely the world’s No. 1 ranked golfer for 47 consecutive weeks, a Dallas native who hasn’t posted a score above par in 39 consecutive rounds, dating back to 2023, a seemingly humble family man who already won here in 2022.
There was muffled applause and some polite call outs. But that’s about it. If you didn’t know who he was, you wouldn’t know who he was.
Why the golfing public hasn’t warmed (at least not yet) to Scheffler is anyone’s guess. The run he is on should have made him a sensation. Whatever it is, they are missing quite a show.
Scheffler recorded a 71 here Saturday and sits atop the Masters leaderboard at 7-under heading into Sunday’s final round. Morikawa is at 6-under, Homa 5-under.
It leaves Scheffler in prime position to win a second green jacket in three years, at least as long as his nine-month pregnant wife Meredith doesn’t go into labor (Scheffler has vowed to hop a private jet out of Augusta to be there).
“The most exciting thing for us right now is not winning the Masters, it’s a baby coming real soon,” Scheffler said.
Maybe that isn’t the most exciting personality trait, but that’s Scheffler.
Yeah, he’s quiet. Yeah, he’s not super colorful. Yeah, he doesn’t always show emotion — although his triple fist pump after draining a 31-foot putt for eagle on 13 might change that. If not, there was the single fist pump after a birdie on 18.
Eagle for Scheffler. He returns to a tie for the lead. #themasterspic.twitter.com/3mWXrXVTL6
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 13, 2024
Regardless, the guy can play golf, and right now he is doing it better than anyone.
“He's obviously the best player in the world,” Bryson DeChambeau said.
Scheffler isn’t going to clad himself in red and march around this course Sunday daring anyone to challenge him. That isn’t his game. He’s efficient, focused, patient.
He says on the course he tries to concentrate “on my process.” He tends to walk up fairways with his eyes looking at his feet, not the galleries.
“I do my best to stay in my own little world there,” Scheffler said. “Just trying my best to stay in the moment.”
Away from golf, he hopes to be defined by “my faith.” As for any Tour drama or rivalries, “I’m kind of somebody that likes to stay out of the way of things.” He remarked that this is his first tournament in “quite some time” without Meredith.
“I did make breakfast [Friday], which was an adjustment,” Scheffler said of the plate of eggs and toast he managed to cobble together. He had some friends cook for him Saturday.
Apparently that doesn’t do much for television ratings, but that’s someone else’s problem. Scheffler’s job is to win, and no one is currently doing more of it.
The most remarkable part to his Saturday round wasn’t the aforementioned eagle putt or the 32-yard chip in for birdie on No. 1, or the 34-foot birdie putt (following a chip from the woods) on 3.
It’s when he double-bogeyed the 10th hole, the rare wobble on golf’s most consistent force. That turned heads.
“I did a good job of staying patient,” Scheffler said after.
Of course he did. If fans want more than that, then they may have to be patient as well.
Scottie Scheffler isn’t changing and he sure isn’t going anywhere.
