Golf - The Masters - Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia, U.S. - April 14, 2024 Scottie Scheffler of the U.S. celebrates with his green jacket and the trophy after winning The Masters REUTERS/Mike Segar
AUGUSTA, Georgia (Reuters) - Scottie Scheffler reaffirmed his status as the best golfer on the planet after winning his second Masters on Sunday but with the birth of his first child on the way the world number one says golf is dropping way down his priority list.
He cautioned his rivals not to take this as a sign his clubs are going to be collecting dust in the garage, however, and said he will be back on the job after a bit of diaper duty.
"I'm definitely not going to intentionally take my eye off the ball," said Scheffler, who won his previous Green Jacket in 2022. "I will go home, soak in this victory tonight.
"Will definitely enjoy the birth of my first child.
"But with that being said, I still love competing.
"My priorities will change here very soon. My son or daughter will now be the main priority, along with my wife, so golf will now be probably fourth in line."
The red-hot favourite coming into the year's first major, Scheffler's win at Augusta National means he has won three titles and finished runner-up in his last four PGA Tour starts.
Scheffler becomes the first player since Tiger Woods to win a Green Jacket and the Players Championship in the same year. And at 27 he is also the fourth-youngest to win multiple Masters after Jack Nicklaus, Seve Ballesteros and Woods.
His four-shot win on Sunday was all the more remarkable considering he played with the added distraction of knowing he might have to rush home at any moment to be with his wife.
Some on social media joked after Saturday's third round that the only way to keep Scheffler from winning was for his wife to go into labour.
"In my head, all I can think about right now is getting home," said Scheffler. "I'm not thinking about the tournament.
"I'm not thinking about the Green Jacket. I'm trying to answer your questions and I'm trying to get home.
"I wish I could soak this in a little bit more, maybe I will tonight when I get home.
"At the end of the day, I think that's what the human heart does. You always want more, and I think you have to fight those things and focus on what's good."
(Reporting by Steve Keating in Augusta. Editing by Peter Rutherford)
