Scottie Scheffler returns to Augusta National to defend Masters title

As CBS Sports signed off the air from the Green Jacket ceremony at Butler Cabin a year ago, Jim Nantz’s final words on Scottie Scheffler’s triumphant week were these: “There was emotion in there after all. He just has a great way of hiding it, doesn’t he?”

At the time, Nantz had no idea how true those words rang.

Scheffler, who surged in front at the 86^th Masters with rounds of 69-67-71, appeared to be the definition of cool, calm and collected, but it turned out he was anything but in the hours leading to the final round at Augusta National.

After he woke up, Scheffler tried watching some of the pre-round coverage with wife Meredith, lowering the volume to quiet the announcers. He’d suffered from a stomach ache the past few days, but this queasy feeling was different. His mind drifted to what was at stake for him later that day – fame, fortune, a lifetime invitation to the most coveted dinner in golf, the first line of his obit someday – and the moment started to feel too big for him. That’s when his emotions got the better of him and as Scheffler put it, he cried like a baby.

“I’m a crier. Always have been. It’s nothing unusual for Meredith to see,” Scheffler said. “Everyone sees things from the outside. When you watch me on TV, you look so calm, how are you so calm and these things? Me, myself, I’m not that calm. It’s what the Lord has done for my life. In that moment, I just wanted to tell exactly what was going on and be honest. … I was so stressed out. I didn’t know what to do. I was sitting there telling Meredith, ‘I don’t think I’m ready for this. I’m not ready, I don’t feel like I’m ready for this kind of stuff,’ and I just felt overwhelmed.”

Thanks to the calming presence that only a supportive wife can offer, Scheffler found a sense of inner peace before he teed off and overcame the biggest challenge he’d face that day: himself. In the ensuing four hours, he went out and showed the world what those who knew him best had witnessed on repeat – Scheffler’s been a winner all his life.

Colt Knost and the other PGA Tour pros that called Royal Oaks Country Club in Dallas home used to call Scheffler their little shadow.

“He followed us around with those puppy dog eyes,” Knost said.

Scheffler did so with a purpose. Every chance he could…