TORONTO, Ont. — Featuring a regular season that begins in early June and ends in mid-September, PGA TOUR Canada announced its 2022 schedule Tuesday for the Fortinet Cup as part of the season-long competition. Fortinet announced it will be the Tour’s Cup sponsor as the Tour awards points based on player performance, with a $100,000 bonus pool up for grabs for the top competitors. 

PGA TOUR Canada’s regular season is offering a return to full-action and Korn Ferry Tour membership to the top players, a summer lineup of 11 tournaments beginning in Victoria, British Columbia, and concluding in Kitchener, Ontario. The Tour also will hold an official event outside Canada for the first time when players travel to Brainerd, Minnesota, late in the summer. 

PGA TOUR Canada did not play in 2020 due to issues surrounding the global pandemic, and it organized and hosted a scaled-down, eight-tournament Tour in 2021 mainly for players residing in Canada. This will be the first season since 2019 that features full fields and a path for players to reach the Korn Ferry Tour. 

“This is a significant time in the history of PGA TOUR Canada as we begin the Fortinet Cup era. The Fortinet Cup offers players the ability to compete on some of the best golf courses in Canada—along with the added bonus of another tournament played in the U.S.,” said PGA TOUR Canada Executive Director Scott Pritchard. “Spanning coast to coast, the 2022 schedule is one we are proud to announce and is already setting up for a triumphant return of PGA TOUR Canada.”

“Fortinet is excited to partner with PGA TOUR Canada. The Tour delivers an amazing experience—in equal measure for its fans and golfers. As PGA TOUR Canada’s premier sponsor and the host of Fortinet Cup, our company will bring its deep expertise in cybersecurity innovation to the world of golf,” said Marc Asturias, Vice President of Marketing and Government Vertical at Fortinet Latin America and Canada. “Our partnership furthers Fortinet’s vision to make possible a digital world that we can always trust by securing people, devices, and data everywhere.” 

The season gets underway June 2-5 at a familiar Tour site, Uplands Golf Course, for the newly named Royal Beach Victoria Open presented by Times Colonist. After a scheduled one-week break for the PGA TOUR’s RBC Canadian Open, players will tee it up three weeks in a row, starting the week of June 13-19, at the ATB Classic presented by Volvo Edmonton, followed by the Elk Ridge Open (June 23-26) in the Resort Village of Elk Ridge in Waskesiu, Saskatchewan, and the Prince Edward Island Open in Cardigan (June 30-July 3).  

The Tour observes a two-week break to begin July before resuming action in Ontario, for the Osprey Valley Open presented by Voroantim Cimentos CBM Aggregates (July 21-24) in the Toronto suburb of Caledon. The Ontario Open (July 28-31) in Tottenham is the next week, bringing July to a close. The Quebec Open is scheduled for August 4-7 in Blainville, with another off week preceding the Manitoba Open (August 18-21).

The visit to Minnesota, for the CRMC Championship presented by Gertens (August 25-28), and the next week’s GolfBC Championship (September 1-4) in Kelowna, British Columbia, bring August to an end and takes the players into September. The season concludes September 12-18 at the Fortinet Cup Championship, the Tour’s best players from the Points List assembling for the first time at Deer Ridge Golf Club and the Fortinet Cup final positions decided, as well as the $100,000 bonus pool for the top-10 players. The overall Fortinet Cup champion will pocket $25,000.

“It’s exciting to think where we are beginning and culminating our season, along with the other nine cities and golf courses we’ll visit during the year. There is so much to look forward to, the ATB Classic returning to Edmonton, PGA TOUR player Graham DeLaet serving as the honorary chair at the Elk Ridge Open, having the Ontario Open and its storied history as part of our schedule and visiting TPC Toronto, one of the premier TPC facilities in the network,” Pritchard explained. “Traveling outside Canada to Minnesota for a tournament, with Tom Lehman significantly involved, spending a week in Quebec and moving the GolfBC Championship to a September date for the first time are all things we’re anxiously anticipating.

“In addition,” Pritchard continued, “Prince Edward Island has had to wait a year to make its official debut on our schedule, and Manitoba is also back after a two-year hiatus. It will be great to play our tournaments in those two regions. I simply can’t be more excited about what we will offer this year’s crop of players.”

PGA TOUR Canada began in 2013 as the PGA TOUR’s second International Tour. Since its inception, the Tour has seen 14 of its alums win 16 PGA TOUR titles, while 46 past PGA TOUR Canada players have collected 49 total Korn Ferry Tour victories. 

The Tour has already held five of its seven Qualifying Tournaments to determine its complete 2022 player roster. This week the Tour is conducting its sixth qualifier, in the Tacoma, Washington, area, with the final Qualifying Tournament in Canada to follow. The first five medalists during this Qualifying Tournament season are Alex Herrmann and Austin Hitt (from the Florida tournaments), amateur Jacob Bridgeman (from the Alabama qualifier), Max Marsico (from the Arizona qualifier) and Jake Vincent (from the California qualifier). 

2022 PGA TOUR Canada Schedule

Click here for more information.

The PGA of Canada announced today that the RBC PGA Scramble has added Golf Canada as the Official Handicap Partner of the program, welcoming the national governing body’s involvement throughout the local and regional qualifying stages and leading into the National Championship at Cabot Cape Breton. 

The partnership position will see Golf Canada play an enhanced role in competitor handicap verification—an important consideration towards the fairness and integrity of the RBC PGA Scramble—as the national program continues to add more qualifiers throughout Canada. 

“Adding Golf Canada as the official Handicap Partner is absolutely massive for the RBC PGA Scramble and further establishes it as the premier amateur team event in the country,” said PGA of Canada CEO Kevin Thistle. “The reputation Golf Canada has is second-to-none, and there is no other entity more qualified to ensure the integrity of the program and its participants.” 

New this year, the Handicap Index that a player competes with at a local qualifier will act as the ceiling as that player advances through the following stages of the RBC Scramble. Handicap Indexes that decrease between qualifying stages will be used at their current status. 

While other team handicap rules for the RBC PGA Scramble remain consistent with past years, Golf Canada’s involvement will help verify each player’s scoring records prior to the respective local, regional, or national competition.

While Golf Canada has previously supported the PGA of Canada in this capacity, the two organizations will streamline the handicap verification process and ensure the competition continues to be fair for all teams. 

“A fair and equitable competition makes for a fun golf experience and we are very excited to take a larger position in supporting the growth of the RBC Scramble,” said Golf Canada Chief Sport Officer Kevin Blue. “The RBC PGA Scramble has become a must-play grassroots competition for golfers across the country and we are thrilled to support our partners at the PGA of Canada and RBC in this terrific program.” 

The PGA of Canada and Golf Canada have a long history of collaboration, working together to advance the sport through a number of programs and initiatives including Safe Sport, high performance and grassroots golf, player development, coaching, and the launch of First Tee – Canada. 

Registration for local RBC PGA Scramble qualifiers across the country is now open. For a full list of RBC Scramble qualifiers and to register your team, click here. PGA of Canada golf professionals interested in hosting a local qualifier can click here for more information. 

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina – Today, International Team Captain Trevor Immelman announced his four captain’s assistants for the 2022 Presidents Cup: Canada’s Mike Weir, Korea’s K.J. Choi, Australia’s Geoff Ogilvy, and Colombia’s Camilo Villegas. The foursome will join Immelman at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, Sept. 20-25.

Weir will make his third appearance as captain’s assistant after serving for Price at the 2017 Presidents Cup and in 2019 for Els. The Canadian has competed in five Presidents Cups (2000, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009) and was teammates with Immelman in 2005 and 2007. An eight-time PGA TOUR winner, Weir is 13-9-2 all-time at the Presidents Cup and one of five International Team members with 10 or more match wins in competition.

“In addition to being captain’s assistants together in 2019 at Royal Melbourne, I have had the pleasure of being teammates with Mike on two occasions, as well as playing together on TOUR for many years,” Immelman said.

In 2007, the Presidents Cup was staged in Canada for the first time, with Weir delivering a 3-1-1 record highlighted by a 1-up victory over Tiger Woods in Singles. Weir won eight times on the PGA TOUR, including the 2003 Masters – one of three victories collected that season. The 51-year-old currently competes on PGA TOUR Champions, where he notched his first victory at the 2021 Insperity Invitational.

“When I think of highlights in my career that really stand out to me, the Presidents Cup always makes the top of the list,” Weir said. “The comradery that continues to grow within this team is irreplaceable. We can all sense the momentum that is building, and it’s been exciting to see Trevor’s incredible dedication and focus on his role. I can’t wait to see what tournament week holds for us and to be a part of the 2022 team.”

The 2022 Presidents Cup will be held at Quail Hollow Club, September 20-25. For more information about the Presidents Cup, or to purchase tickets, please visit PresidentsCup.com. 

VICTORIA, B.C. – Team Canada’s National Junior Squad boys and girls teams both finished with top spots on the leaderboard at Royal Colwood Golf Club to secure the opportunity to play in the 2022 Toyota Junior Golf World Cup.

In the Boys Division, Canada led by one stroke over Puerto Rico heading into Thursday’s final round. A strong showing in the final round by all team members pushed the four-man Canadian squad into securing a solo first place finish at a total of 9 over par. Mexico, who started the day five strokes back from Puerto Rico, rallied to finish 3 under par as a team and secure the second place spot to secure the second qualifying spot in the Boys Division.

Canada was led by Cooper Humphreys of Vernon, B.C., who closed with a 4-under-par 66 to finish in solo third. Medallist honours was tied by Guatemala’s Gabriel Palacios and Mexico’s Manuel Barbachano, whom both concluded the event at 1 under par.

In the Girls Division, Canada had their strongest day of the tournament finishing 8 under par on the day and securing first place with a final team score of 6 under par. 

Yeji Kwon of Port Coquitlam, B.C. led the Canadians to victory tying the course record 6 under par in round three and finishing 2 under par for the tournament (76-72-66). The Canadian trio finished thirteen strokes ahead of runner-up Mexico, earning the one available qualifying spot in the Girls Division.

Canada will be among several other nations to compete in the upcoming Toyota Junior Golf World Cup which takes place at Hakusan Village Golf Club in Tsu City, Mie Prefecture, Japan. The dates of the championship are June 21-24, 2022.

Click here for full scoring.

TORONTO, Canada—PGA TOUR Canada announced Thursday that Fortinet, a global leader in broad, integrated and automated cybersecurity solutions based in Sunnyvale, California, will sponsor the Tour’s season-long points competition, the Fortinet Cup, an agreement that begins this season and runs through 2026.

The Fortinet Cup will mirror the competitive structure of the points-based competitions on the PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions and PGA TOUR Latinoamérica. Through the sponsorship, the Fortinet Cup will offer a new $100,000 player bonus pool—with $25,000 to the winner—to the top Fortinet Cup points-winners who earn membership on the 2023 Korn Ferry Tour, with the No. 1-ranked player at the end of the season eligible to play in every open Korn Ferry Tour tournament the following season. The Fortinet Cup winner will also be exempt into the PGA TOUR’s 2023 RBC Canadian Open. The players finishing in the second-through-fifth positions earn Korn Ferry Tour membership, while Korn Ferry Tour benefits are available to those finishing sixth through 10th.

Fortinet will also be the title sponsor of the Tour’s season-ending and flagship event, starting this season, the Fortinet Cup Championship, taking place September 15-18 at Deer Ridge Golf Club in Kitchener, Ontario.

“We are extremely excited to partner with Fortinet as PGA TOUR Canada returns to a full schedule,” said Scott Pritchard, the Tour’s Executive Director. “The Fortinet Cup will give players a week-to-week gauge of how they’re doing, with significant benefits available to them thanks to Fortinet. It will certainly be fitting that the points chase culminates at the Fortinet Cup Championship in Ontario. We have an exciting season ahead of us and are extremely happy to make this announcement and begin this partnership.”

“Fortinet is excited to partner with the PGA TOUR Canada as both our organizations are committed to trust and creating exceptional experiences—ensuring players and customers are set up for success to overcome even the most trying conditions and challenges,” said John Maddison, Executive Vice President of Products and Chief Marketing Officer at Fortinet. “This partnership will benefit our community, customers and local nonprofit organizations. We look forward to hosting the Fortinet Cup Championship in Ontario.”

Charitable giving will also be part of the partnership, proceeds from official PGA TOUR Canada Fortinet Cup tournaments will benefit nonprofit organizations in the areas of science, technology, energy, mathematics (STEM), women, military veterans and minorities in the 11 host cities of the competition.

“As the premier sponsor of PGA TOUR Canada, we look forward to further educating and supporting companies, government and educational institutions on the importance of cybersecurity. As the largest cybersecurity vendor in Canada, Fortinet can use its deep expertise in cybersecurity, innovation and training to address the increasing number of challenges and threats they face,” added Marc Asturias, Vice President of Marketing and Government Vertical at Fortinet Latin America and Canada. “These initiatives further Fortinet’s vision to make possible a digital world that organizations can always trust by securing people, devices and data everywhere.”

Fortinet’s mission is to make possible a digital world that organizations can always trust. Fortinet delivers the most innovative, highest-performing network security fabric to secure and simplify organizations’ IT infrastructures. Fortinet is a leading global provider of network security and SD-WAN, switching and wireless access, network access control, authentication, public and private cloud security, endpoint security, and AI-driven advanced threat protection solutions for carriers, data centers, enterprises, and distributed offices.

From its inception, in 2013, PGA TOUR Canada used a money-list ranking to determine its top players. It planned on switching to a Points List in 2020 until the global pandemic forced the Tour to cancel its last two seasons. Previous money-list winners include current PGA TOUR players Paul Barjon (2019), Tyler McCumber (2018), Kramer Hickok (2017), J.J. Spaun (2015), Joel Dahmen (2014) and Mackenzie Hughes (2013).

Next week, PGA TOUR Canada will announce its 2022 schedule, which will begin in early June and conclude with the Fortinet Cup Championship in mid-September.

Selena Costabile was making plans to play in the Carlisle Arizona Women’s Golf Classic when she got a message from a familiar name: Alena Sharp.

The two Canadians had met at the LPGA Tour’s Q Series last winter. When Sharp saw that Costabile would be playing in the Epson Tour event in Mesa, Ariz., she decided to reach out to the younger golfer. Sharp, who lives with her wife Sarah Bowman in Arizona, suggested Costabile could stay with them for the duration of the tournament.

“I’m so grateful that I have that kind of friendship and I’m able to ask her questions, bounce ideas off of her,” said the 23-year-old Costabile on Wednesday. “Her and Sarah both are amazing people and it’s no surprise why she’s been able to be so successful.”

Sharp, who has been a fixture on the LPGA Tour since 2005, said that Canadians on the men’s and women’s circuits tend to stick together. She wanted to help Costabile and continue to foster that sense of community among Canada’s golfers.

“I think it’s important because Tour life can be pretty lonely,” said the 41-year-old Sharp, who is from Hamilton.

“I mean, yeah, we’re competitive, but we want to see each other do well and it’s not so cutthroat.”

Costabile, from Thornhill, Ont., is in her second full year on the Epson Tour. She said that between the two seasons she did a self-evaluation of her game and recognized she needed to work on her mental performance and how to manage her time around events.

Spending time with Sharp and Bowman helped Costabile immensely with that education. In particular, Costabile admires Sharp’s perseverance.

“Golf can beat you up in so many different ways but as long as you have the drive and the passion for it and the will to just keep going and pick yourself up and keep trying, I think the sky’s the limit,” said Costabile. “You can you can do anything you set your mind to and that’s really been clear from what I’ve seen through Alena.”

Costabile’s off-season self-evaluation has seemingly paid off this year.

In 2021, she played in 15 Epson Tour events and made four cuts, but this season she’s made the cut in all three events she’s played in.

She tied for 56th at Florida’s Natural Charity Classic on March 4, tied for 35th at the Arizona Women’s Golf Classic on March 17, then tied for 20th at the Casino Del Sol Golf Classic on March 31. The Epson Tour is in the midst of a two-week break, but she plans to return for the Copper Rock Championship on April 21 in Hurricane, Utah.

“I think just the mindset of being a little bit more prepared once the tournament comes was huge for me,” said Costabile. “During the winter I placed more importance on being more calm out there and having a little bit more of a steady mind, It’s been paying off so far.”

When Maude-Aimée LeBlanc has been on this season, she has very much been on. And now she’s hoping she’ll continue to trend in right direction as the springtime stretch kicks into high gear.

LeBlanc, who retired from professional golf in 2019 but made a hearty return in late 2020 and re-earned her LPGA Tour card for 2022, has notched two top-10 results so far this season. Her tie for 4th at the JTBC Classic presented by Barbasol in late March was her career-high finish on the LPGA Tour and it helped earned her a spot in The Chevron Championship – the first major of the season.

The native of Sherbrooke, Que., also finished tied for 8th at the Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio in January.

LeBlanc, who is part of Golf Canada’s Young Pro Squad for 2022, was re-motivated to pick the clubs up again in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. She decided to step away from professional golf after a disappointing season in 2019, but when golf returned to TV – as one of the first sports back in June 2020 – she decided she wasn’t done yet.

She played a handful of Epson Tour (then Symetra Tour) events later that year before putting her foot on the gas in 2020. She finished sixth on the Tour’s season-long money list to re-earn her LPGA Tour card for this season.  

LeBlanc’s previous best LPGA Tour result was a tie for 7th, which came in 2017. Now she said she’s thriving when she’s near the top of the leaderboard.

“I think I have a tendency to play better under those circumstances when I’m playing with really good players or moving up the leaderboard,” said LeBlanc. “That motivates me to play better, more so if I’m fighting to make the cut. It’s a lot harder for me to focus or find the motivation to grind it out.”

Through the early part of the season LeBlanc has leaned on her incredible length and solid tee-to-green game. She’s averaging more than 277 yards off the tee so far in 2022, which is good for 7th on Tour. She’s also 7th in Greens in Regulation. In her prior run on the LPGA Tour LeBlanc, who will be the first to admit as such, struggled with her putting. But she’s also turned that into a strength the last few years.

LeBlanc also had a front-row seat to greatness earlier this season, playing alongside world No.1 (and reigning CP Women’s Open champion) Jin Young Ko. LeBlanc said she “really wanted” to see Ko’s game up close and observe how she’s been able to go on her record-setting run. When LeBlanc and Ko played together the 2021 Player of the Year was in the midst of a streak of 34 rounds under-par in a row.

“I usually don’t watch other players swing but I think she has a really good one and I did watch it a lot,” said LeBlanc. “Her tempo and the consistency she has is amazing. That makes the difference between her and everyone else – and she’s able to make a lot of putts, too.”

Although LeBlanc didn’t get the prep work she would have liked at Mission Hills Country Club – she missed the cut at the first major of the year after being part of the final group of players to earn a spot in the field – she’s quickly getting reacquainted with the LPGA Tour’s layouts. She admitted she may not have kept playing had she returned to the Epson Tour this year, but between her solid early-season results and her tee-to-green successes already, she’s as excited as ever to keep things going.  

“It’s been a good beginning so far,” said LeBlanc. “It’s been really fun.”

The LPGA Tour’s LOTTE Championship begins April 13th from Hoakalei Country Club. LeBlanc, Maddie Szeryk, and Brooke Henderson – who won this event in back-to-back years in 2018 and 2019 – make up the Canadian contingent.

Following his victory at Augusta on Sunday, 2022 Masters Champion Scottie Scheffler said a few words that have hit a chord with many people around the world, including Canadian star Brooke Henderson.

“We talked about that God is in control and that the Lord is leading me. And if today is my time, then it’s my time,” said the 25 year old.

While Henderson couldn’t watch the final moments at Augusta National on Sunday, she was able to catch Scheffler’s post-win press conference and was taken with his eloquent words about how a big win will – or won’t – affect you as a human being.

“What an amazing champion and what a year he’s had so far,” said Henderson. “I just really loved a lot of the things he had to say and how he approached the Sunday after feeling not his best in the morning time. I really learned a lot actually, so that was pretty cool.”

Henderson certainly knows victory. The 24-year-old has 10 LPGA Tour wins, making her the winningest professional golfer, male or female, in Canadian history. Two of her victories came in Hawaii, with Henderson taking consecutive LOTTE titles in 2018 and 2019. Henderson has never finished worse than 27th at the LOTTE Championship and the mere mention of Hawaii brought a big smile to her face.

“I love coming back to Hawaii. It’s just beautiful everywhere. The surroundings, the ocean, the mountains, the flowers, people are so kind and nice,” said Henderson. “It’s just a great atmosphere and I just always enjoy spending time here. Obviously won here twice, so many great memories. I love that trophy.”

Henderson’s recent play certainly makes her a contender for a third LOTTE title this week. Since missing the cut at the Meijer LPGA Classic in June 2021, she has finished in the top 40 for 18 straight tournaments. Her 2022 schedule features six starts with six top-15 finishes, highlighted by a solo second at the season-opening Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions. 

Both Henderson and Scheffler are scheduled to play on Canadian soil this summer at Golf Canada’s National Open Championships. Henderson will compete in the CP Women’s Open taking place August 22-28, 2022 (tickets here), and Scheffler will participate in the RBC Canadian Open from June 6-12, 2022 (tickets here).

VICTORIA, B.C. – The Toyota Junior Golf World Cup Qualifier makes its return to Canadian soil on Tuesday, with four nations competing for a spot in both the Boys and Girls divisions at Royal Colwood Golf Club.

The 54-hole stroke play qualifying tournament is comprised of teams from host nation Canada, Mexico, Guatemala and Puerto Rico.

The Boys Division consists of four athletes per team, each submitting a cumulative total from the three lowest scores per round (omitting the highest score). The two lowest team scores after Thursday’s final round will qualify for the 2022 Toyota Junior Golf World Cup. Canada will be represented by National Junior Squad members JP Parr (St-Célestin, Que.), Cooper Humphreys (Vernon, B.C.), Ethan Wilson (St. Albert, Alta.), and Felix Bouchard (Otterburn Park, Que.)

The Girls Division is made up of three athletes per squad, each submitting a team score counted from the lowest two per round, with the lowest team score moving on. Flying the flag for Canada are National Junior Squad members Nicole Gal (Oakville, Ont.), Michelle Liu (Vancouver, B.C.), and Yeji Kwon (Port Coquitlam, B.C)

Host club Royal Colwood Golf Club is a private golf club located in Victoria, B.C. Designed by Arthur Vernon Macan in 1913, Royal Colwood is a traditional style parklands championship course set amongst 450-year-old douglas firs and majestic garry oaks. One of a select few in the world, Royal Colwood received its Royal designation from King George V in 1931.

All teams will be competing for a spot to play in the Toyota Junior Golf World Cup, taking place at the Hakusan Village Golf Club in Tsu City, Mie Prefecture. The dates of the championship are June 21^st – 24^th, 2022. The event will feature international teams from around the world competing over 72 holes of stroke play. In 2018, the Canadian girls team finished tied for 3^rd and in 2019, the Canadian boys team finished 6^th.

The first round gets underway on Tuesday at 8 a.m. PDT.

Click here for more information.

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) – That new No. 1 ranking for Scottie Scheffler looks even better in a Masters green jacket.

Two months after Scheffler finally broke through for his first PGA Tour victory, he capped off a most incredible 56-day stretch by making his fourth win the biggest of them all, the Masters by three shots over Rory McIlroy for his first major.

Even as a junior, he was wearing long pants in stifling Texas heat because he wanted to look the part of a tour pro he always wanted to be. Winning the Masters was beyond his hopes.

“I never made it this far. It was just a dream of being here and competing,” Scheffler said in Butler Cabin, moments before Hideki Matsuyama helped him into the green jacket. “I can’t put into words what it means that I’ll be able to come back here for a lifetime.”

The only stumble came at the end when Scheffler needed four putts from 40 feet before he could claim his first major, and that only mattered in the record book.

He closed with a 1-under 71 for a three-shot victory over McIlroy, who holed out from the bunker on the final hole for a record-tying final round of 64. McIlroy could only hope that Sunday pressure at Augusta National might get to Scheffler.

No chance. Not on Sunday. Not the last four days. Not the last two months.

“You get on those hot streaks, and you just got to ride them out because they, unfortunately, don’t last forever,” Justin Thomas said. “But he is doing it in the biggest tournaments. … It’s really, really impressive to see someone that young handle a moment this big so easily.”

The Sunday theater, thrilling and tragic, belonged to everyone else. Scheffler overcame a nervy moment early in the round by chipping in for birdie. He delivered key putts to keep Cameron Smith at bay and never looked rattled, even as he was swatting at short putts at the end.

McIlroy was the runner-up. It was Smith who felt as though he let one get away. The Aussie was still in the game, three shots out of the lead, when he dumped his 9-iron in Rae’s Creek on the par-3 12th hole for triple bogey and ended his hopes.

“Just a really bad swing at the wrong time,” Smith said.

Smith closed with a 73 and tied for third with Shane Lowry, who birdied the 18th for a 69.

Scheffler joined Ian Woosnam in 1991 as the only players to win a major – the Masters in both cases – in their debut at No. 1 in the world.

Everyone should have seen this coming. He won the Phoenix Open in a playoff on Super Bowl Sunday. He followed that with a comeback win at Bay Hill to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He rose to No. 1 in the world by winning the Match Play two weeks ago in Texas.

And now this.

Scheffler, who finished at 10-under 278, won $2.7 million from the $15 million prize fund. That brings his total to $8,872,200 over his last six starts.

Scheffler’s big moment came early in the round, and it was no less significant.

Starting the final round with a three-shot lead, he watched Smith open with two straight birdies to the cut the deficit to one, and then Scheffler’s approach from the pine needles left of the third fairway came up short and rolled back down the slope.

His pitch was racing toward the hole when it banged into the pin and dropped for an unlikely birdie, and a two-shot swing when Smith from the same position made bogey.

No one got closer than three the rest of the way. Only the contenders changed.

The 12th hole remains the most riveting par 3 in golf, the scene of more collapses than comebacks. Smith became the latest victim.

Coming off birdie at No. 11, his shot was still in the air when he let his club slip through his hands and he slowly closed his eyes twice as it splashed into Rae’s Creek. The next shot wasn’t much better, but at least dry, and Smith’s hopes ended there with a triple bogey.

He was three behind standing on the 12th tee. Three holes later, he was eight back.

From there, any hope resided with McIlroy. All he needed to complete the career Grand Slam was to match the best final round in Masters history and get some help from Scheffler. He only got one of those and had to settle for his first silver medal from Augusta.

Not that he didn’t create some Sunday magic. McIlroy went bunker-to-bunker on the 18th hole, leaving himself right of the green and aiming some 25 feet right of the flag. It rode the slope all the way into the hole, setting off one of the loudest roars of the week.

Morikawa followed him in from the same bunker, different angle, and McIlroy could only laugh.

“This tournament never ceases to amaze,” McIlroy said. “That’s as happy as I’ve ever been on a golf course right there. Just having a chance – and then with Collin, we both played so well all day – and for both of us to finish like this, I was just so happy for him, too.

“I’ve never heard roars like on the 18th green.”

The best ones were saved for Scheffler.

Scheffler still had five holes in front of him, with no evidence he was going to be anything but the smooth, smart operator who seized control on Friday in the toughest conditions to build a five-shot lead and never lost it–