Scottie Too Hottie: The Case for Backing Scheffler at Augusta 

To win one Green Jacket is the dream of most pro golfers and one that most will never realize. To win two is extraordinary. Three? Well, that would put you in the category of all-time greats. That might be something that will be playing on world number one Scottie Scheffler’s mind as he tees off in his opening round at Augusta on Thursday. 

Scheffler is the clear favorite in the Masters betting lines, and it’s hard to argue with that. The defending champion has been the best player in the world for around two years. Alongside his undoubted ability, he has a remarkable consistency. He hasn’t missed the cut in any tournament for years. Yes, like all golfers, he can have days where he is not quite at his best, but Scheffler is often in the mix. Eleven top 10 finishes in his last fourteen tournaments underline that fact. 

Scheffler will be well-backed 

Of course, Scheffler will be heavily backed by bettors, but it is certainly not guaranteed. Only a handful of players throughout history have won two Green Jackets in succession, so you are talking about playing at the level of Tiger Woods (2000,2002) or Jack Nicklaus (1965, 1966) here. Indeed, Scheffler aims to emulate Nicklaus’ record of winning three Masters tournaments (he also won in 1963). It’s a tall order. 

The point, though, is not to make comparisons with history. Moreover, the psychology of modern pro golfers tends to focus more on the golfer’s game than breaking records. You can be confident that Scheffler won’t be thinking about Jack Nicklaus or anyone else over the four days. He will approach the tournament in his usual, unflappable manner. 

A game built for Augusta 

To say Scheffler’s game is suited to Augusta is an understatement. While his pro career is relatively young, he has never finished outside the top 20 of the Masters. We know that Augusta rewards elite players, and certain weapons in his game will play into that. For instance, Scheffler has one of the best natural high draws in the game, perfect for attacking Augusta’s most rigid pins. 

Above all, though, there is his mindset. There have been great players over the last 10-15 years—Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth (for a time)—but the closest we can cite to having that Tiger Woods-style mindset of being ‘locked in’ is Scheffler. Again, they are different players, and the current world number one has a long way to go before being anywhere near Woods’ level, but Scheffler has that sense of relentlessness that Woods had at his peak. 

Plenty of big names could contend. 

Scheffler will face stern opposition, not least from Rory McIlroy. While Scheffler has outperformed McIlroy over the past few years, the Northern Irishman is not far behind him. His ill luck in the Majors has been a matter of public record since 2014, but he is always a danger. Several LIV players, including Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau, could and should be in contention. Former winner Hideki Matsuyama has had another purple streak of form over the last six months. Collin Morikawa and Xander Schauffele are also somewhat going under the radar. 

In short, it will be tough for Scheffler to retain the Green Jacket. Then again, it always is. If the tournament is decided on form, it goes to Scheffler. If it comes down to keeping a cool head, you can argue it will go to the world number one. Golf isn’t always that straightforward, but sometimes it is. Scheffler is the clear favorite for a reason. 

Scottie Scheffler Photo: NickB1717, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons