Scheffler holds firm to deliver dominant Masters victory

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Scottie Scheffler capped off an amazing two months with his grandest feat of all, winning the Masters on Sunday to validate his new status as the best player in golf.

The only stumble came at the end when Scheffler needed four putts from 40 feet before he could claim his first major, and that only mattered in the record book.

He closed with a 1-under 71 for a three-shot victory over Rory McIlroy, who holed out from the bunker on the final hole for a record-tying final round of 64 that gave him the briefest moment of hope that Sunday pressure at Augusta National might get to Scheffler.

No chance. Not on Sunday. Not the last four days. Not the last two months.

And to think it was just 56 days ago that Scheffler was still searching for his first PGA Tour victory. The 25-year-old from Dallas, built for stardom from when he was a 10-year-old wearing long pants to look the part of a pro, now has four wins in his last six tournaments.

No prize was greater than that green jacket.

The Sunday theater, thrilling and tragic, belonged to everyone else. Scheffler overcame a nervy moment early in the round by chipping in for birdie. He delivered key putts to keep Cameron Smith at bay and never looked rattled, even as he was swatting at short putts at the end.

McIlroy was the runner-up. It was Smith who felt as though he let one get away. The Aussie was still in the game, three shots out of the lead, when he dumped his tee shot in Rae's Creek on the par-3 12th hole for triple bogey and ended his hopes.

Smith closed with a 73 and tied for third with Shane Lowry, who birdied the 18th for a 69.

Scheffler joined Ian Woosnam in 1991 as the only players to win a major — the Masters in both cases — in their debut at No. 1