AUGUSTA, Ga. – World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler loves a good Jackie Burke Jr. story.
Scheffler, who opened with a bogey-free 6-under 66 on Thursday at Augusta National to trail leader Bryson DeChambeau by two strokes when play was suspended during the first round of the 88th edition of the Masters, recalled spending time with Burke, the 1957 Masters champion who died last year, during his college days at University of Texas.
“He was a treat to listen to. He was just a stubborn, tough, tough, tough person. You could tell why he was such a good golfer because he was so to the point. Didn’t mess around. And he was just, I think that’s what I really admired about him, and you could still see it,” he said. “When we were going to visit him, he was probably, you know, 95 years old almost, and he’s still going to the golf course every day. He still cares about his game. He still cares about our games and he gave us great advice.”
When the 2022 Masters champion was asked to name one of those pieces of advice that stuck with him, he said, “The things that struck me the most about Jackie was just how to the point he was, and he didn’t mess around. So when he told you something, he really, really meant it. And one of the things that stuck out to me, which kind of holds true, is he taught us how to club into greens. He said, ‘Whatever you would bet, all the money in your wallet, that club that you for sure are going to carry the green with, whatever you know, no matter what happens, no matter the wind gust, whatever it is, you’re going to airmail that green, you take two off that, and that’s what you should hit.’ ”
Scheffler said that two-time Masters champion Ben Crenshaw shared several Burke stories during the Champions Dinner.
“It was really cool getting to hear some stories,” Scheffler said.
‘Felt like I was in middle school’ at Champions Dinner
This was the second time that Scheffler attended the exclusive dinner on Tuesday night after hosting the dinner a year ago.
“Yeah, it was different. I had to find my seat. That’s always interesting, finding your seat there,” he said. “I asked Zach if I could sit by him, because him and Jordan (Spieth) usually sit together, and I figure if I asked Jordan to sit by him he would mess with me somehow. But Zach I felt I could rely on a bit more.
“So when we were walking in, I was like, ‘Hey, Zach, could I sit next to you?’ Felt like I was in middle school or something like that. Made me sweat a little bit.”
Scottie Scheffler walks up to the No. 17 green during the first round of the 2024 Masters Tournament. (Photo: Adam Cairns-USA TODAY Network)
Scheffler’s game Thursday was pretty rock solid. He was the only player in the field without a bogey on the card. He looked in trouble at No. 12 when his 8-iron tee shot at the par 3 flew into the back bunker but he holed it for an unlikely birdie. One hole later, his second shot nearly to the par 5 nearly found the water.
“I felt extremely fortunate that the ball stayed dry,” Scheffler said. “Right at the top of my swing I heard somebody else make contact with the ball, and kind of tricked me a little bit, and I lost out to the right. That stuff happens in the game of golf. Things happen. You’ve got to be more focused than that.”
Scheffler re-focused and carded another birdie. It added up to a great start for the world No. 1, who has two wins and T-2 in his last three starts.
