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But if any confirmation was needed that the sport has a new
breakout superstar, Scheffler provided it with a five-under-par
67 on Friday that was almost frightening in how easy he made it
look.
Treating a stiff breeze with something close to disdain he
combined power, precision and imagination, summoning his inner
Bernhard Langer in a five-under-par 67 that left everyone in his
Augusta National wake.
With the day's best score, Scheffler matched the record
five-shot 36-hole lead held by Jordan Spieth (2015), Raymond
Floyd (1976), Jack Nicklaus (1975) and Herman Keiser (1946), who
all went on to win.
"I thought even par was going to be a really good score. I just
wanted to get off to a decent start," he said.
And though the 25-year-old bogeyed the difficult first and third
holes, he avoided any major damage on the most difficult stretch
of the course.
"My tee shot on seven changed my day, put it in the fairway,
(made birdie) and took it from there," he said, revealing that
he had tried to plot his way around in the way two-time champion
Bernhard Langer has done for so many years.
"I feel like I'm constantly learning about this place," said
Scheffler, who posted top-20 finishes in his previous two
appearances.
Three wins on the PGA Tour in the past couple of months are all
well and good, but this weekend will be his sternest test.
Nothing so far suggests he will not seize it with authority.
"I've prepared for a long time to be in moments like this,"
Scheffler said.
(Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina; editing by
Richard Pullin)
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