Tearful Scottie Scheffler pays tribute to pregnant wife after second Masters win

World number one Scottie Scheffler claimed his second green jacket at the 2024 Masters on a chaotic final day at Augusta National.

Ben Smith

14 Apr 2024

World number one Scottie Scheffler told his wife Meredith he'll be home 'as quick as I can' after he clinched the 2024 Masters.

American Scheffler, 27, won the green jacket for a second time after a commanding performance at Augusta National.

The 2022 champion was the hottest favourite since Tiger Woods in his 2000s pomp to clinch the first major of the year.

He led the field overnight by one shot and a final round of four-under 68 saw him win by four strokes over European Ryder Cup star Ludvig Aberg.

Aberg shot a closing 69 but was left to rue a costly mistake at the par-4 11th when he found the water and carded a double bogey.

England's Tommy Fleetwood signed for the same score as his Ryder Cup teammate and finished tied for fourth alongside American hopefuls Collin Morikawa and Max Homa.

Homa came unstuck at the famed par-3 12th which has claimed many victims over the years whereas two-time major champion Morikawa dropped four strokes in the space of three holes from the ninth.

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"I did my best to stay calm out there," said Scheffler in the Butler's Cabin alongside Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley and commentator Jim Nantz.

"I tried to stay patient on the course and was able to make some key shots and key putts today to keep my round going."

There was a possibility that Scheffler could've withdrawn from the 2024 Masters as his wife Meredith is heavily pregnant.

On multiple occasions this week Scheffler claimed he would be out of here in a flash should she go into labour.

Understandably, he had a message for her: "I'm coming home. I'll be home as quick as I can. I love you and I'm coming home. That's all."

Asked to put his victory into words, Scheffler said: "You're about to make me cry here in Butler Cabin. It's a very special time for both of us.

"I can't put into words what it means to win this tournament again.

"I really can't put into words what it's going to be like to be a father for the first time.

"I'm looking forward to getting home and celebrating with Meredith. Its been a long week here without her, but I'm just looking forward to getting home."

Tiger Woods comparisons...

Scheffler arrived at Augusta National with many golf fans and predicting this year's major was a foregone conclusion.

Some bookmakers had Scheffler as short as a 4/1 favourite given he has already won twice in 2024.

In March, Scheffler won the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill for the second time and he followed that with victory at golf's unofficial fifth major - The Players Championship - at TPC Sawgrass.

Scheffler did make some mistakes on the final day, making bogeys at the fourth and seventh holes to give hope to the rest of the chasing pack.

But Scheffler turned it on from the eighth, making three birdies in a row to pull clear.

Birdies at 13, 14 and 16 allowed Scheffler a stress-free stroll up the 18th.

In 2022, Scheffler memorably four-putted the final green. He still won by three.

"I'm just pinching myself honestly," his caddie Ted Scott said.

"I don't really know what I'm seeing. The guy is special. He's a different kind of special.

"I think we're all seeing it, and we're all questioning where did this come from?

"When he called me, I had no idea he was that good."

Scott was on the bag as Bubba Watson claimed his two Masters victories.

One common criticism of Scheffler is that putting is the only weakness in his game.

Scott thinks that couldn't be further from the truth.

"What is he not good at? I don't know," he said.

"I think his super power is people that are super powerful are good at everything, and he seems to be good at everything. He doesn't really have a weakness.

"I think people created a weakness in his putting. He's not a weak putter. He's a good putter. He's a very good putter."

Rory McIlroy made to wait for another crack at The Masters

Northern Ireland's McIlroy produced a lacklustre performance at the 2024 Masters, finishing in a tie for 22nd on four-over.

He refused to be discouraged, despite being somewhat lost for words.

Elsewhere, the aforementioned Woods finished dead last on 16-over par.

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