AUGUSTA, Ga. – The 88th Masters is in the books, and there are winners and losers from the week. We call ’em like we see ’em around here, and they are:
Winners
Scottie Scheffler: Make it nine wins in 26 months, capped by a second green jacket. He’s the best player today and happens to be playing some of the best golf we’ve seen since prime-time Tiger Woods. Any questions?
Ludvig Aberg: Fired a tidy little 3-under 69 for a solo runner-up that exceeded the sky-high expectations for his major-championship debut. Everyone knows how to pronounce his name now.
Augusta National: The Sunday setup once again delivered, as players made dramatic moves up and down the leaderboard before Scheffler finally pulled away on the final nine. And, oh, those twilight shadows as the tournament wrapped during the golden hour. Perfection.
Verne Lundquist: It was hard not to get choked up watching his Masters tribute and Lundquist saying early in the broadcast, “I'm going to get through this day without crying. Yes, sir.” And then Jim Nantz responded, “The question is can we get through this day?” We'll always remember Lundquist for all of the great calls through four decades of Masters. How many of us watched the Masters just to hear him call the 16th? He is an icon. He is a legend. He's one of the great people in golf. And how classic was it that Tiger walked over to shake his hand to thank him for what he's meant to his career? Have a great retirement, Mr. Verne Lundquist.
Jose Maria Olazabal: At age 58, just making the cut this week was a heck of an accomplishment. But firing a 72 on Sunday to tie for 45th place? Simply stunning.
Tom Kim: Finished 5 over for the event, but a shoutout here for firing the low round of the day on Sunday, a 6-under 66 that included birdies on 9, 10, 11 and 12.
Neal Shipley: Might have had the best week outside Scheffler. As the only amateur to make the cut, Shipley knew Friday night that he’d be in Butler Cabin on Sunday to receive the Silver Cup as low am. Saturday night, he found out he’d be playing with Tiger Woods on Sunday. And then he beat the five-time champion by four shots.
Losers
Rory McIlroy: It was another disappointing Masters for McIlroy, who finished at 4-over 292 and continues to chase the major championship that would give him pro golf’s Grand Slam. Is there still time for McIlroy to chase down the last leg? Yes. But maybe the pressure of doing it at Augusta National is getting to be too much for the four-time major champion, who hasn’t won a major since 2014.
Collin Morikawa: No one was going to take down Scheffler on Sunday, but it was a surprise that Morikawa, a two-time major-winner in his own right, wasn’t able to hang in the fight. The water-ball on 11 was a surprising error from a player who makes a living off his iron play.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Round 4 Winners and Losers at the Masters: Scottie Scheffler Reaches New Heights, Rory McIlroy’s Disappointment.
