AUGUSTA, Ga. – Scottie Scheffler looks like he was born wearing soft spikes. He's tall, athletic and dresses like a golf mannequin, wearing only that which is crisp and new.
Cameron Smith looks like he was conceived behind the stage at an AC/DC concert. His mullet would place him on the Minnesota all-state hockey hair team if he moved to Warroad and laced on skates. He promised to cut his flowing locks for his girlfriend if he ever won a PGA Tour event, then reneged, saying "it feels like a part of me now." He apparently dresses in the dark.
Sunday, Scheffler and Smith will play in the last group at the 2022 Masters, providing contrasting versions of cool.
Saturday, Scheffler shot a 71 to finish at 9 under par. On a difficult, cold, windy day, Smith shot a 68 to reach 6 under. Scheffler began Saturday with a five-shot lead over four golfers; Smith passed all four. Sungjae Im is at 4 under; no one else is better than 2 under.
While neither has won a major, Scheffler and Smith have been the best players in the world this season, winning a combined five times, with Smith winning the Players Championship last month.
Smith looks like a rocker but putts with hands soft as azalea blossoms. Scheffler does the electric slide during his swing, his right foot scooting toward his left as he releases the club. They will be the first pairing of top 10 players in the world golf rankings in the last group of a final round of a major since 2015, when Jason Day and Jordan Spieth were together on Sunday for the PGA Championship that Day won at Whistling Straits.
Smith cut into Scheffler's lead because after almost three full rounds of nearly flawless play, Scheffler finally blinked on the back nine on Saturday. He made three bogeys in four holes, starting with the 12th, then pulled his drive on No. 18 into the trees, requiring a search for his ball and a drop that led to another bogey.
Acknowledging that he was "a hothead" in junior golf, Scheffler has learned to control his emotions, and was doing so until he saw officials looking for the ball. "I thought, 'No big deal,' " Scheffler said. "Then I saw the guy with the flag kind of panicking and I was like, 'Oh, crap."
He took a drop, held a long, calm conversation with a rules official, then hit a 3-iron about 250 yards, almost hitting the flagstick. The ball rolled through the green, then he got up and down to set up his showdown with Smith.
Tiger Woods, the story of the practice rounds and at the cut, shot a 78 and was limping on his damaged right leg after the round. He's at 7 over. It was his worst round ever at the Masters.
"I thought it was tough," Woods said. "Some of the other guys may not say that, but for me I had a tough time.' "
Smith said he used hand-warmers all day to combat the chilly conditions. He also said they didn't work.
Growing up in Australia, Smith would rise early to watch the Masters on television. Now he might win it. "Yeah, that's pretty cool," he said. "I've been watching this tournament since I can remember. Hopefully everyone gets up early and I can make some birdies."
Will Smith consider cutting his hair to throw off Scheffler? "No," he said. "Definitely not."
Scheffler was the only player brought to the interview room, and he said he relishes the routine. "It's better than getting whisked over to the practice tee, being in 30th place," he said.
So how does a rising star looking for his first major spend a Saturday night with the lead?
Enjoying watching "The Office" with his wife, a new convert to the show. "Tonight, I'm looking forward to just chilling," he said. "I think we're two episodes into season four. I'm looking forward to sitting back, giggling and eating some good food."
