Scottie Scheffler warned his rivals he has no plans to take his eye off the ball after securing his second Masters title in three years.
Scheffler carded a closing 68 at Augusta National to finish four shots ahead of Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg and has now won three of his last four events and finished runner-up in the other.
The world number one’s thoughts immediately turned to getting home as soon as possible to his wife Meredith, who is pregnant with their first child, but he also intends to keep challenging for the game’s biggest titles.
“I’m coming home, I’ll be home as quick as I can,” Scheffler said when asked if he had a message for his wife.
“I wish I could soak this in a little bit more but all I can think about is getting home. It’s a very, very special time for both of us.
“I can’t put into words what it means to win this tournament again and really can’t put into words what it’s going to be like to be a father for the first time.
“I definitely will enjoy the birth of my first child, and my priorities will change very soon, so golf will be fourth in line, but I still love competing.
I have no intention of losing focus anytime soon.”
Aberg was on track to make history as the first player to win the Masters in their debut since 1979 when he was tied for the lead after a birdie on the ninth hole.
However, his hopes were dashed when he made a double bogey on the 11th hole after hitting his approach shot into the water.
The 24-year-old responded well and scored birdies on the 13th and 14th holes to keep up the pressure, but Scheffler also made gains on those holes.
“I believe we did many things successfully this week, particularly today, as I was feeling extremely nervous when I started out. I only began my professional career 10 months ago,” expressed Aberg. “I felt a bit nervous when starting on the first tee.
I truly love doing all these things. We believe it is an honor to be able to take these shots and be in this position.”
“We were aware that hitting the ball into the water on the 11th hole was not the best outcome, but we continued to focus on our game.
My caddie, Joe Skovron, and our team have emphasized the importance of staying focused and continuing to play despite any setbacks.”
“I believe we executed that task effectively, demonstrating our commitment to our original plan, which ultimately turned out well.” “It demonstrates that we are making significant progress, and of course, achieving a successful finish in the Masters tournament is a dream come true.
Competing here has been an incredible honor, and I am extremely proud of myself, the team, and the efforts that we have put in.”