Scottie Scheffler ‘cried like a baby’ before winning the Masters

“We (Scheffler and his spouse, Meredith) went and obtained some meals. I spilled my dinner within the automobile on the way in which house, and that was terribly irritating,” a smiling Scheffler advised the media.

“You may see Meredith continues to be laughing at me. She thought it was the funniest factor ever; I did not assume it was so humorous on the time.”

Though he describes that night as “superb,” the morning after was “a completely totally different story.”

“I cried like a child this morning. I used to be so stressed,” the 25-year-old defined. “I did not know what to do.

“I used to be sitting there telling Meredith: ‘I do not assume I am prepared for this. I am not prepared, I do not really feel like I am prepared for this type of stuff,’ and I simply felt overwhelmed. She advised me: ‘Who’re you to say that you’re not prepared?’ Gosh, it was a protracted morning.”

‘Peace’

It has been a transformative few months for the American.

In February, Scheffler did not have a PGA Tour victory to his title. Now, he’s a Masters champion and world No. 1.

He got here into April’s Masters as one of many favorites after a stretch of three wins in 5 match begins had catapulted him from PGA Tour journeyman to celebrity.

Scheffler channeled that kind at Augusta Nationwide, managing to stay calm beneath important stress.

Whereas others crumbled round him, Scheffler maintained a fair keel, regardless of his “abdomen hurting for 2 days straight,” such was the rising stress and sense of expectation.

Scheffler remembers that when he performed at school and featured at a number of US Opens, he used to “have indigestion just like the week and a half main as much as them” and used to take tablets to attempt to settle his abdomen.

Requested afterwards why he felt so nervous earlier than enjoying, Scheffler defined the status of the match performed a component.

“I dreamed of getting an opportunity to play on this golf match. I teared up the primary time I obtained my invitation within the mail,” he mentioned. “We have been lucky sufficient to play right here in faculty, and I really like this place.

“I really like this golf course. If you are going to select a golf match to win, this could be the match I’d wish to win. You do not know what number of probabilities you are going to get.

“And so having an opportunity, I believe I had a five-shot lead on Friday after which a three-shot lead going into Sunday, I do not know for those who get higher alternatives than that. You do not wish to waste them.

“The human situation is to make issues larger than they are surely. And years from now, I’d say individuals might not bear in mind me as a champion, and that is superb. However within the second, you assume it is lots larger deal than it truly is.”

However as has typically been the case for Scheffler, he discovered “peace” out on the course.

“I believe the toughest stuff is off the golf course. After I’m on the market and as soon as we get into the spherical, just about after parring the primary gap I used to be settled in. I felt good.”

A champion

Battling robust climate circumstances in the course of the opening three rounds, Scheffler was in a position to construct a sizeable lead and held a three-shot benefit over Australian Cameron Smith heading into Sunday.

After a number of nervy opening holes, by which Smith narrowed the result in only one, Scheffler reasserted his dominance, beginning with a pleasant chip-in on the third gap for a birdie.

Whereas others faltered and slipped away, Scheffler by no means seemed fazed and slowly tightened his grip on his debut main.

“It was positively good to construct up a lead. Nothing is protected on the market on the again 9 on this golf course.

“I’ve heard all of the issues that everyone says, it would not begin until the again 9 on Sunday, something can occur, do not hit within the water on 12, all of the stuff. I simply blocked most of that out and tried to execute and hit good golf photographs.”

It was solely on the 18th inexperienced of the Sunday, together with his lead unassailable and the inexperienced jacket being fitted for his measurements, that Scheffler felt in a position to loosen up.

“I did not break my focus till we obtained onto the inexperienced on 18. As soon as we obtained on to the inexperienced, I used to be like: ‘All proper, I will take pleasure in this.’”

Left with only a brief par putt to etch his title into the historical past ebook, Scheffler missed by the smallest of margins, leaving himself one other brief putt to wrap it up.

Then to the shock of everybody watching — and Scheffler himself — his putt hit the rim of the cup earlier than veering away.

“Exhausting to imagine what you have simply seen,” Sky Sports activities commentator Ewen Murray mentioned in bewilderment.

Scheffler was lastly in a position to roll house that successful putt, with the group erupting in celebration as the most recent Masters champion was topped.

Scheffler shared emotional moments with spouse Meredith and father Scott as he made his manner off the inexperienced, shortly earlier than attempting on his newest merchandise of clothes — the inexperienced jacket given to the winner of the Masters.

“The explanation why I play golf is I am attempting to glorify God and all that He is finished in my life. So for me, my identification is not a golf rating,” added Scheffler.

“Like Meredith advised me this morning: ‘Should you win this golf match at this time, for those who lose this golf match by 10 photographs, for those who by no means win one other golf match once more,’ she goes, ‘I am nonetheless going to like you, you are still going to be the identical particular person, Jesus loves you and nothing adjustments.’

“All I am attempting to do is glorify God and that is why I am right here … it is not a few golf rating.”