09/04/2026

SPORTS THURSDAY | APR 9, 2026

29

Scheffler battles work, life balance

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER is getting plenty of sleep and practice time for this week’s Masters even with infant son Remy and his family at Augusta, although green jacket safety causes concern. World No. 1 Scheffler, seeking his third Masters title in five years and fifth major victory overall, has not played the past three weeks with wife Meredith giving birth to son Remy on March 27. Scheffler has enjoyed being a dad again after two-year-old Bennett but realises he must set aside family life to focus on this week’s challenge at Augusta National. DeChambeau learns placement lessons, patience BRYSON DECHAMBEAU, known for his long tee shots and YouTube videos, declared in 2020 that Augusta National played as a “par-67” to him because of his driving distance. Six years later, the two-time US Open champion boasts he has learned patience and accepts he must take what the famed course will allow as he prepares for the 90th Masters. “There’s a sense of obedience you have to have out here,“ he said yesterday. “But it truly is patience because it gives you the opportunity to go for it. “More patience, not as aggressive all the time. Knowing where to be aggressive and when not to be aggressive. Those are the things. Making better decisions.” DeChambeau, who was 34th in 2020 and never shot better than 69 at the par-72 layout, was fifth last year and sixth in 2024. The LIV Golf star has traded ball bashing and distance for location and strategy when it comes to Augusta National. “Focusing on hitting the bigger parts of the greens, making sure I’m missing it in the right places to certain flags, is really what has adjusted my mindset in a

and play and compete, and some times my friends are brought into that arena that I kind of live in,“ Scheffler said. “I still feel like I go to work each day. It doesn’t feel like I’m sitting at a desk obviously. I love my job, but I don’t feel any different than I did when I was a kid. “So I don’t see why I would need to live any different or do anything like that. There’s no reason that my kids need to be on TV or on my Instagram or whatever it is. “My kids need to have a normal upbringing or as normal as I can, and we’ll go from there.” – AFP

green jacket on Sunday while holding Remy as he walked into the Augusta National clubhouse. “If I’m wearing it near him, I’m just hoping he doesn’t ruin it or anything like that,“ Scheffler said. “Throw up on it. Who knows?” “It’s a battle for balance of life and work that has Scheffler concerned about keeping his private life private, especially for his children. “Sometimes I think it feels like we live almost two separate lives, where I have this life where I come out here

Slam with a victory in June at the US Open. This week, his wife’s caretaking is nearly as crucial as anything a caddie could offer on the course. “I’m getting plenty of sleep. My wife is a trooper,“ Scheffler said. “Having a newborn is always an inter esting thing, but Remy is so young right now, they sleep a lot of the day... so yeah, I’ve been able to get a decent amount of sleep.” Scheffler, however, has had to help out, as when he was wearing his

“Once you drive down Magnolia Lane, everything else melts away and you get to be here and be focused,“ Scheffler said. “This place is almost a challenge in a sense that you need to be able to get your stuff done and go home because I could camp out on that range for days and days and continue to practise.” The 29-year-old American is the reigning British Open, PGA Championship and Olympic cham pion and can compete a career Grand

McIlroy chases Masters repeat Precision will be premium in lightning-fast Augusta R ORY MCILROY seeks a historic repeat victory starting today at the 90th Masters, while world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau lead a host of chal

major championships.” Scheffler, the 2022 and 2024 Masters win ner, has been off for three weeks as wife Meredith gave birth to son Remy on March 27. “Game feels like it’s in a good spot,” Scheffler said. “I feel rested and ready to go this week.” DeChambeau, who edged McIlroy for the 2024 US Open title, was in the final Sunday group last year at the Masters when the Northern Ireland star made history. “It’s great if we can continue to have a rivalry,” DeChambeau said. “It kind of helps create more buzz around the game of golf. “It’s one of those things like I got him at Pinehurst, he got me here, and I hope there’s more of those to come because it’s great for the game.” DeChambeau, ranked 24th, won LIV Golf titles in Singapore and South Africa last month and likes speed at Augusta. “If it’s firm and fast, the greens are going to be even more difficult to hit than they already are,“ DeChambeau said. “I feel really good. It’s just about going out and exe cuting.” Precision will be at a premium with no rain in the forecast to soften the course. “You have to be more precise when it’s firm,” American Kurt Kitayama said. “Whenever it’s firm and fast makes any course difficult, and especially with how sloped the greens are, it’s going to be even more penalizing missing your spots.” Dustin Johnson, the 2020 Masters cham pion who holds the 72-hole Masters record score of 20-under 268, is already seeing strong bounces on the course. “Makes it a little bit more difficult,” Johnson said. “You have to be spot on with pretty much all your clubs and where they’re going, espe cially if it gets firm. The landing areas get really small.” Other contenders include world No. 3 Cameron Young, who won The Players Championship last month; England’s fourth-ranked Tommy Fleetwood, last year’s Tour Championship winner, and England’s ninth-ranked Justin Rose, last year’s Masters runner-up. – AFP rything I’ve got,“ he said. Yet even with the grandeur of the Masters, he said his nerves would come less from the course than from the occasion itself. “I’m sure on the first tee I’ll be nervous,“ he said. “It’s something different that I haven’t experienced before.” Jacob Bridgeman, the winner of this year’s Genesis Invitational, described the contrast between attending the Masters as a spectator and arriving as a competitor, saying it feels “different walking inside the ropes.” – Reuters

that I can do it no w, so that should make it a little easier for me to go out and play the golf I want to play.” McIlroy suffered an injury scare last month when back pain prompted his with drawal at Bay Hill. But, he competed the following week and has rested since. “I’ve taken the last three weeks to make sure I’m 100% coming in here, which I am,“ McIlroy said. “I feel comfortable on the golf course, feel comfortable with my game. “It has been a good three weeks at home get ting ready physically

lengers in firm and fast conditions. Second-ranked McIlroy completed a career Grand Slam by capturing the green jacket at Augusta National last

year, but only Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods have won back-to

back green jack ets, Woods the most recent in 2001-2002. “Maybe not the largest field in golf but it’s the strongest,” McIlroy said. “I know

and men tally and just trying to prepare

for every thing this week is going to throw at me.” Scheffler, last year’s British Open and PGA Championship winner, has failed in two Masters repeat bids. “Defending can always be difficult, but I think that’s mostly just the odds

positive way,“ he said. In times past, I’d just be going right for the flag, and it quite honestly would get me in a lot of trouble. I have my golf swing a little bit more

of winning a tour nament in back to-back years,” Scheffler said. “That’s just extremely challeng ing, espe c i a l l y

under control than I have in years past.” DeChambeau, ranked 24th in the world, put himself into the final group on Sunday last year but lost to Rory McIlroy, whom he edged at Pinehurst for the 2024 US Open crown. “It was a great learning lesson. That last group final round gave me a lot of perspective,“ he said. “The more I put myself in those positions, the better opportunities I’m going to have to win.” – AFP

w h e n y o u look at these

Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy plays a shot from the third hole tee box during a practice round prior to the 2026 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club yesterday. – AFPPIC

Rookies enjoy nerves, soak in dream debut as Amen Corner awaits

FOR Masters first-timers, the walk through Augusta National’s gates is equal parts dream ful filled and test of composure as a new class of play ers tries to balance awe with the demands of one of golf’s most exacting stages. This year’s tournament includes a strong contin gent of debutants who say they are trying not to be overwhelmed by the pressure that comes with playing in one of golf’s most anticipated events. “As a kid, it was a dream to just even be out here,“ said Ben Griffin, who captured all three of his wins on the PGA Tour last year. “As a player, this is a

The memories that first drew the players to Augusta remain vivid. For Griffin, Tiger Woods’ chip-in at the 16th hole in 2005 stands above the rest, while Chris Gotterup said Woods’ 2019 victory was the image that most clearly stayed with him as he began to envision a professional career. Gotterup, who won two of his four PGA Tour titles this year, said he was focused on embracing the whole experience. “I’m trying to take it all in and enjoy it while also trying to go out there and compete and give it eve

dream come true.” Like many newcomers, Griffin said he was still absorbing the details of a course he had previously known mostly through television highlights and golfing lore. He pointed to Augusta National’s famed Amen Corner as a place where the atmosphere seems to shift. “Once you get to Amen Corner everything kind of gets a bit more peaceful,“ he said, even as he noted the swirling winds and danger packed into one of the sport’s most celebrated stretches.