Masters Augusta: Tiger Woods collapses, Smith pursues Scheffler

From our correspondent Matteo Dore

April 10
– Augusta (Usa)

Scottie Scheffler remains in command of the Masters. In Augusta, however, the 25-year-old Texan saw his advantage diminish, passing from five shots on Friday evening to 3 on Saturday. Behind him the Australian Cameron Smith. Scheffer, number 1 in the world rankings, closed the first 9 holes with 4 birdies and only one bogey. It was not enough to deliver the final blow to the pursuers, because behind him Smith defended himself with his teeth to give himself a hope of success for Sunday.

The run-up

–

The South African Charl Schwartzel – winner of the Masters in 2011 – also fought throughout the day, who made an eagle at 10 by pocketing a shot from 110 meters, too bad he then slipped into the following holes, losing shots at 11, 14, 16 and 17. Smith’s performance was impressive, with six birdies against 2 bogeys. His – 4 was the best score of the day. In third position is the Korean Sungjae Im. Scheffler (-1 the score of the day) felt the pressure in the second nine, closed above par due to the bogeys at 12, 14 and 15. After the birdie at 17 there was a disaster at 18 with a closed drive on left who sent the ball into the woods. Scheffler had to enter a bush to recognize the ball, declare it unplayable and be able to drop it with a penalty shot outside the foliage. In the end he closed the hole with a bogey that – at least partially – ruined his score.

The 3-in-a-row

–

Scheffler has been playing on the Pga Tour for three years, but he won his first race only last February (Phoenix Masters), opening an incredible row completed with the successes at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Wgc Math Play which took him to the top of the world ranking. There are only 7 players in the “red zone”, ie below par after the first 3 days. Yesterday, Tiger Woods was also among those most in difficulty, who also suffered from the bitter cold that entered the bones of players and the public. For Woods a bad round in 78 strokes for a total of +7 in the tournament. Five bogeys and two double bogeys with 3 birdies. Tiger played with the windbreakers to protect his injured leg from the cold, but it was not enough, even if the biggest faults of the bad result are to be found in the putt that worked very badly. Jon Rahm and reigning champion Hideki Matsuyama were also disappointed, his + 5 of the day set his score after the moving day two strokes above par: a result that is worth the provisional 14th position but which precludes any dream of reconfirmation.

The prize pool

–

Meanwhile, the prize pool has been announced, a piece of news that the Masters keeps jealously secret until the end: this year the pot is 15 million dollars, an increase of 3.5 million compared to last year. A record for the 4 Majors. The check for the winner, which went from 2.07 million twelve months ago to 2.7 million that will end up in the pockets of those who wear the green jacket 2022, is also decidedly gratifying. Whoever it is will enter with trumpet blasts in the ranking of the richest in history of the Masters. This is Augusta’s all-time earnings list updated last year: 1. Tiger Woods $ 9,556,069 (27 appearances), 2. Phil Mickelson $ 8,187,117 (29), 3. Jordan Spieth $ 5,261,828 (8), 4. Dustin Johnson $ 4,256,475 (12), 5. Justin Rose $ 4,123,265 (16), 6. Bubba Watson $ 4,048,230 (13), 7. Adam Scott $ 3,737,207 (20), 8. Angel Cabrera $ 3,547,257 (22), 9. Hideki Matsuyama $ 3,462,534 (10), 10. Lee Westwood $ 3,460,930 (20), 11. Sergio Garcia $ 3,298,530 (23), 12. Patrick Reed $ 2,808,288 (8), 13. Fred Couples $ 2,803,036 (37), 14. Jose Maria Olazabal $ 2,619,741 (33); 15. Vijay Singh $ 2,613,118 (28), 16. Charl Schwartzel $ 2,561,201 (12), 17. Rory McIlroy $ 2,537,521 (13), 18. Ernie Els $ 2,533,343 (23), 19. Rickie Fowler $ 2,480,050 (10), 20. Jason Day $ 2,314,848 (11).