With all eyes on Tiger Woods, Scottie Scheffler quietly assumes control at Masters

Scottie Scheffler left Augusta Nationwide on Saturday night with a easy plan, an evening of binge-watching “The Workplace” for the umpteenth time.

“I believe we’re like two episodes into Season 4,” he mentioned. “I’m simply wanting ahead to sitting again and laughing a bit bit and consuming some good meals.”

An evening of comedy after a day of drama for the world’s No. 1 golfer, the one Masters competitor with three consecutive rounds underneath par.

Scheffler, 25, who six weeks in the past had by no means received on the PGA Tour, now has three victories to his title and a three-shot lead heading into the ultimate spherical of a significant championship.

On a brisk and breezy afternoon, he shot a one-under-par 71 to arrange a Sunday showdown with Australia’s Cameron Smith, whose third-round 68 was the low rating of the day. Scheffler, who leads by three strokes, and Smith tee off at 11:40 a.m. PDT.

“Needs to be a great battle,” Scheffler mentioned. “Clearly Cam is an incredible participant, and he’s bought a incredible quick sport. . . . Each of us are in good type, so I’m undoubtedly wanting ahead to the problem.”

In addition to they’ve performed, Scheffler and Smith — and most everybody else within the discipline — have been one thing of a sideshow. It’s Tiger Woods who has been within the highlight much more than common, having returned from a rollover automotive accident 14 months in the past that just about claimed his proper leg.

Woods had a horrible day on the greens, with 4 three-putts and his first-ever four-putt within the Masters, taking pictures a 78 that included his first two double-bogeys of the week. Woods will play with Jon Rahm at 7:50 a.m. PDT.

“I simply couldn’t get a really feel for getting snug with the ball,” he mentioned. “Posture, really feel, my proper hand, my launch, I simply couldn’t discover it. Attempting various things, looking for it, attempting to get one thing, taking apply strokes and simply attempting to really feel the swing and the putter head, attempting to get something, and nothing appeared to work.”

The temperature hovered round 50 levels, and Woods, who walked extra gingerly than through the first two rounds, conceded that made it harder on his again.

“It’s not as limber and as free because it usually is, that’s for positive,” he mentioned.

He’s tied for forty first at seven over, that means he would wish to shoot a scorching 65 simply to complete at even par.

As for Scheffler, he had an up-and-down spherical with six birdies and 5 bogeys.

“I used to be enjoying some good golf, and outdoors of a pair holes on the again 9, I might have had a extremely nice spherical,” he mentioned. “However I nonetheless had a extremely good spherical immediately. Something within the crimson numbers immediately was going to be stable.”

One among his most spectacular holes was 18, after he hit his drive to the left, clipped a department and wound up together with his ball in a bush. As he walked up the hill in that path, he was involved the ball may be misplaced.

“We noticed the man with the flag that all the time finds the balls sort of panicking,” he mentioned. “I used to be like, `Oh, crap, marvel what’s occurring right here.’”

When his ball was situated, aid washed over him, regardless that it meant taking a drop within the pine straw due to an unplayable lie. Then got here a hero shot, a superbly struck three iron that sailed 255 yards up the hill, cleared the greenside bunker on the left, bounced in need of the outlet and rolled off the again edge, establishing a chip and a putt.

It was key that he saved his cool, one thing that may not have occurred in his youthful years.

“It’s undoubtedly one thing that’s been acquired over my lifetime,” he mentioned of his calm demeanor. “I used to be a little bit of a hothead I believe in highschool and school, so to have the ability to simply keep affected person and notice errors are going to come back, and successful golf tournaments out right here shouldn’t be straightforward. It’s very difficult.”

Up to now, he’s dealt with it simply superb.