Scottie Scheffler came close to another major victory at the 2026 Masters Tournament but ultimately finished one shot behind Rory McIlroy.
Scheffler posted a final-round 68 to finish at 11-under par, securing second place after a steady performance throughout the weekend.
Scottie Scheffler’s Masters Final Round Performance
Scheffler delivered a consistent performance on Sunday, playing a bogey-free round and becoming the first golfer since 1942 to complete the final 36 holes of the Masters without a bogey.
He started strong with birdies on holes 1 and 3, positioning himself near the top of the leaderboard early in the round. However, a stretch of 11 consecutive pars slowed his momentum as he attempted to close the gap.
Scheffler mounted a late push on the back nine. On the 15th hole, he hit out of the pine straw to reach the green and followed it with a 28-foot putt for birdie. He added another birdie on the 16th hole to stay within striking distance.
His opportunity to continue the run came on the 17th hole, where a putt for a third consecutive birdie stopped just short of the cup. The near miss left him just behind McIlroy heading into the final hole.
Scheffler Reflects on 2026 Masters Loss
After the round, Scheffler spoke about his performance in an interview with CBS reporter Amanda Balionis.
“Yeah, I mean, the first two days, I played what I felt was really solid on Thursday,” Scheffler said. “And then Friday, you know, with the softer greens, you know, that round really hurt, especially the mistakes I made on the back nine.”
He added, “But overall, over the weekend, I, you know, I put up a good fight. I did a lot of good stuff in order to give myself a chance and just ultimately came up a couple shots short.”
Scheffler entered the 2026 Masters looking to join a select group of players who have won the tournament three times. He previously captured titles at Augusta National in 2022 and 2024.
A third win would have placed him alongside some of the most accomplished golfers in Masters history, including Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Arnold Palmer, and Phil Mickelson.
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