Scottie Scheffler's ball striking at majors (2024)

Scottie Scheffler is the 2024 Masters champion, securing his second major and second Masters (2022) at Augusta National.

Playing partner Collin Morikawa faltered at the turn to drop out of contention, with major debutant Ludvig Åberg claiming an impressive outright second.

Earlier, Tiger Woods (+16) shot 77 on his 100th Masters round.

Final Leaderboard:

• 1: SCHEFFLER -11 (68)
• 2: Åberg -7 (69)
• T3: Morikawa -4 (74)
• T3: Homa -4 (73)
• T3: Fleetwood -4 (69)

Scottie Scheffler has played 32 major championship rounds since the beginning of 2022.

He has gained strokes with his ball striking (off the tee + approach) in 31 of them.

Tiger Woods has three pars to start his third round.

He remains at 1-over-par for the tournament.

Meanwhile his playing partner, Tyrrell Hatton, is 2-under through three holes. Hatton is even par for the tournament.

36 of the last 37 Masters winners were in the top-10 entering round three. The largest 36-hole comeback to win was eight shots by Jack Burke in 1956.

The last 20 Masters winners had a third-round scoring average of 69.3.

I watched Tiger Woods warm up for his 24th consecutive Moving Day at Augusta National, and he was moving beautifully through the ball. He arrived at the range at approximately 11:58 a.m. and hit full shots until 12:25 a.m. before being carted off to the putting green. Woods' wedges, short irons and mid-irons were dialed — he was hitting his targets, switching pins with each new club in hand.

Woods was also barely taking divots, which, if you've seen the infamous video where Scottie Scheffler tries to ask why Woods doesn't dig into the turf with his irons, is a very good sign for his ball striking. He hit an equal number of balls with each club — about eight to 12 shots — and paused briefly a few times to stretch his lower back and chat to his caddie Lance Bennett and right-hand man, Rob McNamara, who stood behind him for the duration of the routine.

Woods' driver was the only club that didn't seem to be perfectly under control. He sprayed balls left and right, but none of the misses were particularly severe. Several players walked by Woods on the range within those 25 minutes and slowed their walks to watch Woods' ball flight. Lucas Glover even stopped by to say hello and give the 15-time major champion a pat on the back. Patrick Reed and Cam Smith walked by without acknowledging him.

Woods arrived on the first tee at 12:40 and striped one down the middle, leading to an opening par.

The total prize money for the 2024 Masters is $20 million.

The winner will receive $3.6 million.

The runner-up will get $2.16 million.

Tiger Woods begins his third round at Augusta National after making a record 24th consecutive cut.

Tiger starts the day at 1-over-par and is playing alongside Tyrrell Hatton.

Woods found the fairway on No. 1.

Ludvig Aberg has been leading the field in shots picked up through his putting around those first two rounds of the 2024 Masters.

Here's how this particular top-5 looks:

1. Ludvig ABERG: +2.35
2. Brian HARMAN: +2.10
3. Cameron DAVIS: +2.04
4. Max HOMA: +2.02
5. Bryson DeCHAMBEAU: +1.97

Interestingly, you have to go a fair way down the starting field to find Scottie Scheffler (+0.33). He has been much more efficient around the green (+2.46) than with his putter so far in this tournament.

Which means if he also starts finding some opportunities with his putter from here, Scheffler may prove very difficult to beat.

We’re really curious to see what scoring possibilities are in play for this afternoon’s moving day revelry. What low numbers are in play: 66? 67?

Can someone make a serious push into the top group of Homa, DeChambeau and Scheffler all at -6.

As of now, with winds still pushing hard across the property, the morning wave isn’t making any noticeable noise. No one on the course is better than -2 and headliners like McIlroy (+1), Rahm (+1), Finau (E) and Matsuyama (-1) aren’t charging.

The winds are thought to be potentially easing around 2pm, which could open the door. The leaders go off at 2.45pm.

The question is whether they take advantage and only further the gap, or if the top of the board gets a little more crowded.

T45: Rory McILROY (+5) +1 thru 6

Back to five-over for the Masters goes McIlroy, who leaves his tee shot on the par-3 6th shot - much to his own audible disgust.

An 11ft putt to save par never looks like shifting line and McIlroy has to take his medicine.

It's Saturday at The Masters - where 36 of the last 37 tournament winners were in the top-10 entering round three.

The largest 36-hole comeback to win was 8 shots by Jack Burke in 1956.

The last 20 Masters winners had a third-round scoring average of 69.3.

Interesting coverage coming through from the practice areas at Augusta National.

Tiger Woods is out there for a warm-up ahead of his tee time in about 40 minutes - and he's getting a bit of treatment or care to his back, which is also heavily strapped in blue tape.

It's going to be fun to see him out on the course and see what Tiger can muster.

It's still early on moving day of course, but we have 24 players - almost half of the remaining field - out on the course.

Seven of them are currently under par for their third round.

The scores may be lower today, but we're yet to see any big moves yet.

T35: Rory McILROY (+4) E thru 3

McIlroy may actually take more heart from the 3rd, salvaging par with a 8ft putt after his bold third breezed further past the whole than he would've wished.

It could've been worse, for sure. Onto the next.

T35: Rory McILROY (+4) E thru 2

A quick up-down for Rory as he gets his third round off the ground.

McIlroy plays out of the bunker for a lovely birdie on the par-5 2nd. That came after a frustrating bogey on the first, hitting the sand on the fairway and missing a 9ft putt for birdie.

Here's how it's looking for those already out on the course for moving day. The moves have been modest so far:

• Hideki MATSUYAMA (+3) -3 thru 9
• Rickie FOWLER (+5) -1 thru 9
• Chris KIRK (+4) -1 thru 4
• Luke LIST (+5) -1 thru 7

T45: Jon RAHM (+5) E thru 4

How are things going for the defending champion? Well there's been no progress for him yet, despite a couple of possibilities.

That was certainly the case on on the par-3 4th - but Rahm couldn't sink the 6ft for a two.

60: Thorbjorn OLESEN (+9) +3 thru 6

If Olesen was hoping to pick up some of the seven shots he dropped around Augusta National yesterday, then he'll feel sorely disappointed right now.

Despite the improved conditions and an excellent birdie via the sand on 2, the Dane has since dropped four shots in four holes - including a horrible five on the par-3 6th.

T30: Luke LIST (+3) -3 thru 3

What a fabulous second shot at the par-5 2nd from Luke List, taking on the narrow pin position to the left fringe and seeing the ball roll round to within 10ft.

He takes the opportunity and seals his first eagle of the tournament, having also birdied the first.

The early signs are there are shots to be picked up in today's conditions. List is leading the way on that score of those already out on the course.

We're not sure if this means Adam Hadwin's preparations for moving day are going well or not, but the problem was soon resolved according to his wife.

He tees off about an hour from now.