Inconceivable. Not the victory. We’ll get to that. Inconceivable that someone would suggest on social media that Tiger Woods withdraw from the final round, to save himself for some future event. That’s the identical mindset for someone not understand how Cameron Smith could bounce back from his triple at 12 with three consecutive birdies, or how Shane Lowry recovered from a triple bogey of his own, to finish at five under par. These are, first and foremost, competitors. Every opportunity to compete is an opportunity to improve, no matter what is on (or off) the line. Lecture over, no quiz, enjoy your break, class dismissed. On to our celebration of the 2022 Masters tournament and its champion,

1. Rory McIlroy nearly proved us partly right

In our Five Things We Learned on Saturday, we predicted that someone would post a 62 on Sunday and win the tournament in a playoff. McIlroy might have been one perfect drive away from that scenario. Standing at seven-under par on the day, and six-under overall at the fifteenth deck, McIlroy put his drive in the one place where the green is blocked: the left side. From there, par was all he could make. Had he dropped a birdie in, and knowing how accessible the traditional hole location at 16 is, McIlroy might have reached nine-under in the clubhouse. Would that have been enough to put pressure on the champion? We think so. McIlroy earned his first runner-up finish at the Masters, and might eventually don the coat that we expected he’d have won multiple times by now.

Rory McIlroy cierra con birdie en el hoyo 18 para una impresionante ronda de 64 golpes (-8). #elMasters #themasters pic.twitter.com/SUHFSaJH54

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 10, 2022

2. Golden Bell rings and tolls each year on Sunday afternoon

Cameron Smith will remember the tee shot that got away on Sunday for a few hours, and then he will let it go. That’s the sort of competitor he is. We just know. The wee par three doesn’t need to be any longer, for those who suggest lengthening it. At 155 yards, it tempts each competitor way more than an additional 15 yards would, and that is its siren call. Only Hideki Matsuyama was able to make a two on Sunday. Consider that for a moment. The best golfers in the field are given the spot of their choosing, the tee height of their election, and just one was able to save a stroke. It’s a diabolical and brilliant campanilla that figures mightily in the outcome each April.

Back-to-back birdies for Tiger Woods on hole Nos. 12 and 13. #themasters pic.twitter.com/6F0LDlETfl

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 9, 2022

3. Ted Scott will say “No” a lot this week

Caddying is physically demanding. Caddying for professional golfers, week in and out, is mentally exhausting. Caddying for contenders in major championships, especially the one held each year in Augusta, is emotionally draining. Scott won two of these with one of the most emotional golfers of all time, Bubba Watson. He now has a third flag from the 18th at Augusta National. Many folks will call him this week and beyond, offering pay raises and other temptations, and he will say “No” to each of them. Scott is with the golfer he was meant to find, post-Bubba. Scottie Scheffler is just scratching the surface of how good and historic a champion he might become, and Scott needs to be along for the lift and the ride.

Ted Scott is ready for Sunday at #TheMasters pic.twitter.com/p8RnATwJKy

— Caddie Network (@CaddieNetwork) April 10, 2022

4. Hey, honey – we need a bigger closet, and we need to plan a dinner

We know that his green jacket will remain at the club for time eternal, but let’s pretend that Scottie and Meredith Scheffler need to open up about five more inches in their closet at home, to give a special blazer a home. One thing that the couple does need to do, is plan a dinner for a few guests on a Tuesday in April of 2023. Scheffler will host the annual Tuesday gathering of living Masters champions, as Hideki Matsuyama did this year.

What did Scheffler do to cause the need for room in the closet and a shopping list for a year off? He played spectacular and composed golf from Thursday through Sunday this week. He signed for 21 birdies, nine bogeys, and one inconceivable double bogey on his four scorecards over the past 96 hours. Along the way, he hit 49 of 72 greens in regulation or better, 43 of 56 driving fairways, and averaged 1.53 putts per hole. As he was in wins at Phoenix, Orlando, and Austin this year, Scheffler was the unspoiled creme of the field. With his Masters win, he cements his position as world number one, and turns his sites toward other major venues and more international team competition.

It's time to soak up the moment. #themasters pic.twitter.com/Cp4uDcH2hZ

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 10, 2022