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A14 sports
Monday 11 april 2022
Scheffler gets Masters green jacket to go with No. 1 ranking

By DOUG FERGUSON bogey.
AP Golf Writer He was three behind stand-
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Scot- ing on the 12th tee. Three
tie Scheffler capped off an holes later, he was eight
amazing two months with back.
his grandest feat of all, win- From there, any hope re-
ning the Masters on Sunday sided with McIlroy. All he
to validate his new status as needed to complete the
the best player in golf. career Grand Slam was to
The only stumble came at match the best final round
the end when Scheffler in Masters history and get
needed four putts from 40 some help from Scheffler.
feet before he could claim He only got one of those
his first major, and that only and had to settle for his first
mattered in the record silver medal from Augusta.
book. Not that he didn't create
He closed with a 1-under 71 some Sunday magic. McIl-
for a three-shot victory over roy went bunker-to-bunker
Rory McIlroy, who holed on the 18th hole, leaving
out from the bunker on the himself right of the green
final hole for a record-tying and aiming some 25 feet
final round of 64 that gave right of the flag. It rode the
him the briefest moment of slope all the way into the
hope that Sunday pressure Scottie Scheffler celebrates after winning the 86th Masters golf tournament on Sunday, April 10, hole, setting off one of the
at Augusta National might 2022, in Augusta, Ga. loudest roars of the week.
get to Scheffler. Associated Press Morikawa followed him in
No chance. Not on Sun- from the same bunker, dif-
day. Not the last four days. McIlroy was the runner- the Arnold Palmer Invita- His pitch was racing toward ferent angle, and McIlroy
Not the last two months. up. It was Smith who felt tional. He rose to No. 1 in the hole when it banged could only laugh.
And to think it was just 56 as though he let one get the world by winning the into the pin and dropped "This tournament never
days ago that Scheffler away. The Aussie was still in Match Play two weeks ago for an unlikely birdie, and a ceases to amaze," McIlroy
was still searching for his the game, three shots out of in Texas. two-shot swing when Smith said. "That's as happy as
first PGA Tour victory. The the lead, when he dumped And now this. from the same position I've ever been on a golf
25-year-old from Dallas, his tee shot in Rae's Creek Scheffler, who finished at made bogey. course right there. Just hav-
built for stardom from when on the par-3 12th hole for 10-under 278, won $2.7 No one got closer than ing a chance — and then
he was a 10-year-old wear- triple bogey and ended his million from the $15 million three the rest of the way. with Collin, we both played
ing long pants to look the hopes. prize fund. That brings his Only the contenders so well all day — and for
part of a pro, now has four Smith closed with a 73 and total to $8,872,200 over his changed. both of us to finish like this,
wins in his last six tourna- tied for third with Shane last six starts. The 12th hole remains the I was just so happy for him,
ments. Lowry, who birdied the 18th Scheffler's big moment most riveting par 3 in golf, too.
No prize was greater than for a 69. came early in the round, the scene of more collaps- "I've never heard roars like
that green jacket. Scheffler joined Ian Woos- and it was no less signifi- es than comebacks. Smith on the 18th green."
The Sunday theater, thrill- nam in 1991 as the only cant. became the latest victim. The best ones were saved
ing and tragic, belonged players to win a major — Starting the final round Coming off birdie at No. for Scheffler.
to everyone else. Schef- the Masters in both cases with a three-shot lead, he 11, his shot was still in the Scheffler still have five holes
fler overcame a nervy mo- — in their debut at No. 1 in watched Smith open with air when he let his club in front of him, with no evi-
ment early in the round by the world. two straight birdies to the slip through his hands and dence he was going to be
chipping in for birdie. He Everyone should have seen cut the deficit to one, and he slowly closed his eyes anything but the smooth,
delivered key putts to keep this coming. He won the then Scheffler's approach twice as it splashed into smart operator who seized
Cameron Smith at bay and Phoenix Open in a playoff from the pine needles left Rae's Creek. The next shot control on Friday in the
never looked rattled, even on Super Bowl Sunday. He of the third fairway came wasn't much better, but at toughest conditions to
as he was swatting at short followed that with a come- up short and rolled back least dry, and Smith's hopes build a five-shot lead and
putts at the end. back win at Bay Hill to win down the slope. ended there with a triple never lost it.q

Opelka beats Isner in

Houston for first clay title

HOUSTON (AP) — Reilly Opelka beat fellow Amer-
ican John Isner 6-3, 7-6 (7) on Sunday to win the
U.S. Men's Clay Court Championship in the tallest
matchup in an ATP Tour final.
The 6-foot-11 Opelka won his fourth tour title and
first on clay. He improved to 5-1 against the 6-10
Isner.
The 24-year-old Opelka, seeded third has won
all his titles in the United States, taking the first in
2019 in an indoor event in New York and follow-
ing at Delray Beach in 2020 and Dallas this year. Reilly Opelka, of the United States, hits a backhand shot to John Isner, of the United States, in
the men's singles final at the U.S. Clay Court Tennis Championships at River Oaks Country Club,
The 36-year-old Isner, seeded fourth, won in Sunday, Apr 10, 2022, in Houston.
Houston in 2013. He has 16 ATP Tour titles.q Associated Press