x
Skip to main content
Golf Logo
InsideGolf Join Now  / Log In
Scottie Scheffler won the Masters thanks to 2 crucial decisions
SHARE
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share by Email
Golf Logo
  • News
    • Latest
      • News
      • Features
      • Shows
      • PGA Tour Schedule
    • Series
      • Tour Confidential
      • Monday Finish
      • Hot Mic
      • Rogers Report
    • Shows
      • The Scoop
      • Subpar
      • Seen & Heard
  • Instruction
    • Game Improvement
      • Driving
      • Approach Shots
      • Bunker Shots
      • Short Game
      • Putting
      • Rules
      • Fitness
    • Series
      • Top 100 Teachers
      • Rules Guy
      • The Etiquetteist
    • Shows
      • Warming Up
      • Play Smart
      • Short Game Chef
      • Pros Teaching Joes
  • Gear
    • Clubs
      • Drivers
      • Irons
      • Hybrids
      • Fairway Woods
      • Wedges
      • Putters
    • Other Gear
      • Balls
      • Shoes
      • Apparel
      • Golf Accessories
    • Series
      • ClubTest
      • Winner’s Bag
    • Shows
      • Fully Equipped
  • Travel & Lifestyle
    • Travel
      • Course Finder
      • Courses
      • Resorts
    • Lifestyle
      • Accessories
      • Celebrities
      • Food
      • Style
      • Betting Advice
    • Shows
      • Super Secrets
      • Destination Golf
  • Shop
    • Shop
      • Clubs
      • Shafts
      • Training Aids
      • Balls
      • Bags
      • Technology
      • Apparel
      • Accessories
      • Our Picks
      • Shop All
    • Collections
      • The GOLF Collection
      • The Birdie Juice Collection
      • The Fully Equipped Collection
      • Shop All
  • Newsletters
    • Sign Up for GOLF’s Newsletters
      • Hot Mic
      • Monday Finish
      • Play Smart
      • Our Picks
      • Top Stories
      • Sign Up for All
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Features
    • Shows
    • PGA Tour Schedule
  • Instruction
    • All Instruction
    • Driving
    • Approach Shots
    • Bunker Shots
    • Short Game
    • Putting
    • Rules
    • Fitness
  • Gear
    • All Gear
    • Drivers
    • Irons
    • Hybrids
    • Fairway Woods
    • Wedges
    • Putters
    • Balls
    • Shoes
    • Apparel
    • Golf Accessories
  • Travel & Lifestyle
    • All Travel
    • All Lifestyle
    • Course Finder
    • Courses
    • Resorts
    • Accessories
    • Celebrities
    • Food
    • Style
    • Betting Advice
  • Series
    • Tour Confidential
    • Monday Finish
    • Hot Mic
    • Rogers Report
    • Rules Guy
    • The Etiquetteist
    • ClubTest
    • Winner’s Bag
  • Shows
    • The Scoop
    • Subpar
    • Seen & Heard
    • Warming Up
    • Play Smart
    • Short Game Chef
    • Pros Teaching Joes
    • Fully Equipped
    • Super Secrets
    • Destination Golf
  • Shop
    • Clubs
    • Shafts
    • Training Aids
    • Balls
    • Bags
    • Technology
    • Apparel
    • Accessories
    • The GOLF Collection
    • The Birdie Juice Collection
    • The Fully Equipped Collection
  • Newsletters
    • Hot Mic
    • Monday Finish
    • Play Smart
    • Top Stories
    • Our Picks
    • Sign Up for All
InsideGolf Join Now  / Log In
InsideGolf

InsideGOLF: +$140 value for $39.99

Join Today
Instruction

Scottie Scheffler won the Masters thanks to 2 crucial decisions

By: Zephyr Melton
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Follow on Instagram
April 14, 2024
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share by Email
scottie scheffler swings during the 2024 masters

Scottie Scheffler fired a Sunday 68 to win the Masters by four shots — and he did so thanks to two savvy decisions.

Getty Images/Masters.com

Scottie Scheffler is a Masters champion yet again.

For anyone who’s paid attention to golf lately, this doesn’t come as a huge surprise. Scheffler arrived at Augusta National with two wins and a second place in his last three starts. Ever since he switched to a mallet putter at Bay Hill, he’s looked unstoppable.

Most of that dominance can be attributed to his ball-striking. From tee to green, no one on Earth had more success than Scheffler this season (or last). He’s gaining 2.8 strokes per round from tee to green, which is a shot better than his nearest competitor.

This week at the Masters was more of the same. Scheffler hit 64 percent of greens in regulation and hit 79 percent of fairways. However, while the ball-striking was terrific, Augusta National demands more from a golfer than the ability to hit the shots. It requires that they make the correct decisions, too.

“It comes down to hitting good shots and managing your way around the golf course,” Scheffler said this week. “I think it’s a lot easier said than done for sure.”

Scheffler put on a masterclass in that regard on his way to victory. And on Sunday, when the stakes were at their highest, he made two decisions that helped him win the green jacket.

Second shot on No. 11

scottie scheffler shot tracker on no. 11
Masters.com

Augusta National’s 11th hole — White Dogwood — is the most difficult on the entire course. The hole had a stroke average of 4.39 this week as it yielded just 17 birdies compared to 107 bogeys or worse, and much of that can be attributed to the treacherous approach shot.

With water guarding the front left of the green, it’s important to play a shot to the right to avoid penalty. Two contenders — Ludvig Aberg and Collin Morikawa — learned this lesson the hard way on Sunday, as they tugged their approaches into the hazard and made double bogeys. Scheffler did not meet the same fate — and that’s because he played away from the trouble.

scottie scheffler lines up for his approach shot into 11 during the final round of the 2024 masters
Scheffler aimed away from trouble on No. 11 and took the big number out of play. CBS

With the Sunday pin in its typical spot during the final round, it can bait players into getting greedy and firing at the stick. But as we’ve seen so many times, it’s a fool’s errand to aim at the flag at the 11th. Seasoned veterans know the play is at the right side of the green, leaving a long two-putt or at worst a chance at an up-and-down.

Scheffler followed that playbook to perfection, aiming right and taking the water out of play. He didn’t hit his best shot on Sunday and his ball ended up farther right than he would’ve liked, but since he aimed away from trouble, he made sure that the absolute worst score he would make was 5.

In the end, Scheffler did make a bogey 5 (he missed a short par putt). But with two other contenders making 6, he actually gained strokes with the bogey.

Tee shot on No. 12

scottie scheffler shot tracker on no. 12
Masters.com

Augusta National’s 12th hole may be the most diabolical par-3 in all of golf. Competitors rarely have more than a short iron in their hands, but the hole still can give them fits.

Look no further than the final round of the 2019 Masters, for example. When the contenders stepped up to that tee, many found Rae’s Creek. It’s not often that pros find trouble with such little club in their hands, but at No. 12, it happens all the time.

The difficulty of the hole during final rounds is that the far right pin position begs players to take aim at it. With a short iron or wedge in hand, pros are hard wired to think about making birdie. But as soon as they make that decision on No. 12, it brings trouble into play.

scottie scheffler lines up for his tee shot on no. 12 during the final round of the 2024 Masters
CBS

Most right-handed players will try to hit a fade to the right pin. But because of how the green sits, and where Rae’s Creek cuts in front of the putting surface, anything less than a perfectly struck shot invites trouble. If the shot isn’t hit well, or the wind knocks it down just a touch, the ball will often hit on the bank short of the green and roll back into the water.

Scheffler knows this fact well, and it’s why he didn’t even think about taking aim at the flag. Instead, he took his medicine, aimed over the bunker in the middle of the green and played his shot 50 feet left of the flag.

“You have to play to the correct spot and hit really good golf shots,” Scheffler said. “I did that to the best of my abilities today and was fortunately able to hit some really key shots.”

Once Scheffler’s ball found dry land on No. 12, he all but locked up the green jacket. If he weren’t so savvy in his decision making, it might be a different story, but thanks to these two key decisions, he made sure that he was the man to beat.

Latest In Instruction

12 hours ago

Easily lower your handicap with this clever tee-box strategy

16 hours ago

2 keys for playing golf at elevation, according to LIV pros

2 days ago

The secret behind Justin Thomas’ crazy clubhead speed

2 days ago

How a simple grip change can fix your bunker shots

Zephyr Melton

Golf.com Editor

Zephyr Melton is an assistant editor for GOLF.com where he spends his days blogging, producing and editing. Prior to joining the team at GOLF, he attended the University of Texas followed by stops with the Texas Golf Association, Team USA, the Green Bay Packers and the PGA Tour. He assists on all things instruction and covers amateur and women’s golf. He can be reached at zephyr_melton@golf.com.

  • Author Twitter Account
  • Author Instagram Account

Related Articles

News
Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy shared a meaningful embrace after McIlroy's Masters win.

Why Rory McIlroy's Masters win was 'weirdest day ever' for Shane Lowry

By: Dylan Dethier
News
he parents of Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, Rosie and Gerry watch on the first green during Day Three of The 149th Open at Royal St George’s Golf Club on July 17, 2021

Why Rory McIlroy’s parents missed his emotional Masters win

By: Alan Bastable
News
rory mcilroy hugs daughter poppy off the 18th green at augusta national

In 6 silent minutes, CBS delivered a Masters broadcast masterpiece

By: James Colgan
News
Nick Faldo shakes hands with Bryson DeChambeau prior to the 2019 Open Championship held on the Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush.

'It's bulls--t': Nick Faldo defends Bryson DeChambeau criticism

By: Kevin Cunningham
News
Justin Thomas and fill-in caddie Joe Greiner post-win.

Dahmen's heartbreak, JT's surprising advice, caddie intrigue | Monday Finish

By: Dylan Dethier
Putting
PGA Tour pro Justin Rose lines up putt on No. 6 at the Masters

Make more putts using this tour-trusted alignment hack

By: Maddi MacClurg
News
Rory McIlroy

Tour Confidential: Where does Rory McIlroy's Masters win rank among the best ever?

By: Zephyr Melton , Josh Schrock , Nick Piastowski
News
Justin Thomas hits a shot at the RBC Heritage

RBC Heritage final round will be Signature Event model at its best

By: Josh Schrock
News
Zach Johnson

‘Walked out of there not very comfortable’: Masters Dinner wowed 1 winner

By: Nick Piastowski
Sign up for GOLF's Newsletters
Get the latest news, the hottest instruction tips, new product releases, golf media insider reports and more delivered directly to your inbox. Choose your favorites now.
Sign Up
Categories
  • News
  • Instruction
  • Gear
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
Services
  • Masthead
  • GOLF Media Kit
  • GOLF Magazine Customer Service
  • TERMS OF SERVICE
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • Opt-out of Ads/Sharing
  • Your Privacy Choices
Social
  • facebook
  • x
  • instagram
  • youtube
Membership
InsideGOLF Logo
More than $140 Value for JUST $39.99

INCLUDES 12 SRIXON Z-STAR XV GOLF BALLS, 1 YR OF GOLF MAGAZINE, $20 FAIRWAY JOCKEY CREDIT - AND MUCH MORE!

LEARN MORE

© 2025 EB Golf Media LLC. An 8AM Golf Affiliated Brand. All Rights Reserved. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy a linked product, GOLF.COM may earn a fee. Pricing may vary.

Go to mobile version