Scottie Scheffler shares the lead at the Masters after the first round.

Scottie Scheffler, the current world number one, is back at the Masters, determined to secure his third green jacket in a historic 90th edition of the Masters Tournament. After triumphing in 2022 and 2024, the American has made an appearance at the Butler’s Cabin ceremony for four consecutive years and aims to continue this impressive streak.

In the opening round, Scheffler posted a solid 2 under par (70), keeping himself firmly in contention for the title. However, the champion did not hide a challenge that affected him at the start: the disadvantage of playing in the second-to-last group on Thursday. “There were a few putts that almost went in, they hit the edge and came out, I thought I had made a couple of them. Other than that, there was a lot of good in my game,” he explained.

When asked what makes this situation so complicated, Scheffler was clear: “The course gets tougher, the greens get more punished, with more traffic, and usually the wind picks up. I don’t know if that was the case today, but the greens were definitely firmer. There are a lot of people walking on the greens, all trying to read the putts, which makes everything more difficult.”

The phenomenon of golf also highlighted the advantage he will have in the second round, as he will be able to play earlier on Friday: “Playing later is usually more difficult than playing earlier. But tomorrow I will go out earlier, which helps a lot.” This dynamic illustrates the brilliance of the PGA Tour structure: those who struggle in the tougher conditions on Thursday generally benefit from a preferred tee time the following day.

Despite the effort, Scheffler is three strokes behind the leader, a distance that still keeps him in the race. Dominating the leaderboard are Sam Burns and the defending champion Rory McIlroy, both at 5 under par (67), leading by two strokes.

Scottie Scheffler, a four-time major winner, knows that the path to a third consecutive title at the Masters will not be easy, but his experience and resilience could be decisive. With his mind focused and the green jacket within reach, the world of golf is watching every shot from this giant of the sport. The battle for the Masters has begun – and it promises to be thrilling!

This article first appeared on Apito Final.