Scottie Scheffler Surges Up Masters Leaderboard With Final-Round 69

The world No. 1 player made a late charge but came up just short of catching Rory McIlroy.

Apr. 13, 2026 at 3:21am

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting a golf course scene with sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in shades of green, white, and blue, conceptually representing the dynamic final round of the 2026 Masters tournament.Scottie Scheffler's late surge at the 2026 Masters showcases his ability to mount dramatic comebacks on golf's biggest stages.Scottsdale Today

Scottie Scheffler, the world's top-ranked golfer, made a spirited final-round charge at the 2026 Masters, firing a 3-under 69 to finish solo second, two shots behind winner Rory McIlroy. Scheffler made consecutive birdies on holes 15 and 16 to cut McIlroy's lead to two, but a missed putt on 17 and an errant iron shot on 18 ultimately kept him from catching the leader.

Why it matters

Scheffler, who has won just once this season despite being the world No. 1, has a history of faltering in early rounds and then making late Sunday charges, as he did at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am earlier this year. His final-round surge at Augusta shows he still has the ability to contend for major championships.

The details

After being even par through 36 holes and trailing McIlroy by a wide margin, Scheffler caught fire on Saturday with a 65 to get back into contention. He continued that momentum on Sunday, making birdies on 15 and 16 to pull within two shots of the lead. However, a missed putt on 17 and a wayward iron shot on 18 prevented him from completing the comeback.

  • Scheffler was even par through 36 holes on Thursday and Friday.
  • Scheffler shot a 65 on Saturday to get back into contention.
  • Scheffler made consecutive birdies on holes 15 and 16 on Sunday to pull within two shots of the lead.

The players

Scottie Scheffler

The world's top-ranked golfer, who has won one PGA Tour event this season.

Rory McIlroy

The eventual winner of the 2026 Masters, who held a large lead for much of the tournament.

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What’s next

Scheffler will look to build on his strong Masters performance as he continues his quest for his first major championship victory of the 2026 season.

The takeaway

Scottie Scheffler's late surge at the 2026 Masters shows he still has the ability to contend for major championships, despite his struggles earlier in the season. His comeback effort fell just short, but it was an impressive display of his talent and resilience.