Two years ago, Scottie Scheffler felt he wasn’t ready. The 27-year-old couldn’t rest his head on the pillow with the pressure of overnight lead handing over his head. It kept piling up until he broke down with his wife, Meredith. His high school sweetheart, though, was quick to slap sense back at Scheffler.

Scheffler has added four silverware items to his glittering resume since April 2022. And, two summers later, the Texas star is in the same situation. Only two things have changed. Firstly, he is the overwhelming favorite and remains the man to beat. The second part is that Mere isn’t by his side. You would think Scheffler is accustomed to this. But as it turns out, the 27-year-old still needs help. Just the source is different this time. 

The mood is light and happy at Augusta

The eight-time PGA Tour winner doesn’t hide the fact that he is under pressure. Staying alone before the final round isn’t ideal. Especially when you’ll walk the greens as the 54-hole leader. But his wife, Meredith, is due in a few weeks. So, the 2022 Masters champion has invited his friends over from Texas.

“I didn’t want to be alone at the house, so I recruited a few of my friends to come stay with me that were in town. So we’ve got a couple of my close buddies at the house. Kind of the same group that’s been in the Bahamas with us the last few years. And they came over this morning, made some breakfast, and we hung out, and then I came to the course,” Scheffler said after the third round.

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That was Friday morning. His Sunday schedule includes more of that. And he was checking up on his wife at home. Meredith is in labor, and Scheffler reiterated that he won’t hesitate for a moment to pack up his bags and leave should Meredith go into labor. Because having the first baby is special. Masters, Scheffler said, happens every year, and he is sure to be back.

But despite having some of his closest friends, Scheffler might very well miss the hands that sheltered him two years ago. Scheffler recounted the story more than once. Each time, with more gratitude to his high school sweetheart. 

Anxiety got the better of Scottie Scheffler. Almost!

The prospect of entering the final round as the tournament leader unleashed a fusillade of self-doubt. Scheffler had only three wins in the Tour before that, one at TPC Scottsdale, then at Bay Hill, and the last one at Austin. Crippled with anxiety, Scheffler told his wife, “I don’t feel like I’m ready for this. I don’t feel like I’m ready for this kind of stuff.” Scheffler “cried like a baby” to Meredith, he confessed in the press conference later that day.

“Who are you to say that you’re not ready?” Meredith retorted. Scheffler revealed, “And so what we talked about is that God is in control and that the Lord is leading me, and if today is my time, it’s my time. And if I shot 82 today, somehow I was going to use it for His glory. Gosh, it was a long morning.” 

Scottie Scheffler carded 1-over 71 in the final round and waltzed to a comfortable 3-stroke victory over Rory McIlroy. This year, the eight-time Major winner has a slippery one-shot lead over his later arrival, Collin Morikawa. The duo will tee off at 2.35 PM EDT.