Scottie Scheffler, a two-time Masters champion, made a strong comeback at the Masters Tournament on Saturday, shooting a remarkable 7-under-par 65. This round marked his career low at Augusta National Golf Club and was notable for being bogey-free.
After a disappointing 74 in the second round, which interrupted a streak of ten consecutive rounds at par or better, Scheffler was determined to return to form. He had opened the tournament with a solid 70. When he completed his third round at 7-under 209, he took the clubhouse lead, but he knows a strong finish on Sunday will be essential, especially with tournament leaders playing ahead of him on the course.
Scheffler is drawing inspiration from Arnold Palmer, who famously clinched several Masters titles in even years. Having won the prestigious event in both 2022 and 2024, he aims to replicate that success this week.
Interestingly, Scheffler accomplished his impressive 65 without making birdies on the two par 5s on the back nine, namely holes 13 and 15. He remarked, “It definitely could have been lower. But like I said, I did what I needed to do. Went out and executed to give myself some opportunities, and more of that tomorrow, and I think I'll be in a good spot.”
On the front nine, however, Scheffler excelled by scoring 3 under on the two par 5s, which included an eagle on the 2nd hole with a mere 6-foot putt, followed by a birdie on the 8th with a close 3-footer. He ended his front nine with another birdie on 9, making for an impressive outward score of 4-under 31.
Following his previous round, Scheffler emphasized his composed strategy for Saturday, saying he did not want to “force it.” This approach appeared to work effectively, particularly on a course where he held a scoring average of 70.33 entering this year's event.
Reflecting on the pressures of Augusta, Scheffler observed, “Any time you can have success on this golf course I think it can only give you more confidence... to get it done here, you have to do a lot of things right. I think it would be silly to say that doesn't give you some confidence going into a tournament, a tournament like this.”
He also noted recent improvements in his game, particularly with his new driver. “I've seen some improvements in the new driver; like my spin is much more consistent. It's actually a touch faster than my driver…,” Scheffler explained, indicating how adjustments can impact performance on this demanding layout.
Despite the stellar third round, Scheffler humbly mentioned, “I would argue that the only thing I did all that great today was putt,” reflecting on the ups and downs of golfing success and the constant pursuit for improvement.
Scheffler now looks forward to the final round, needing to maintain his impressive play to challenge the leaders. Fans and analysts alike will be closely watching to see if he can capitalize on the momentum from his stunning 65 on Saturday, as he hopes to add another green jacket to his collection.
With the final round approaching, Scheffler will have the chance to showcase his skills once more at Augusta, where many are questioning if he can reclaim his dominant form with another solid performance.