Scottie Scheffler holds the trophy after winning the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club Sunday, April 14, 2024, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Scottie Scheffler drained all the drama out of the Masters.

Which has become a familiar storyline at Augusta National.

Despite that familiar refrain about the tournament not beginning until the back nine on Sunday, it’s become a rarity for it to be decided at the closing holes

Scheffler, the world’s top-ranked player, kept that trend going with a flourish.

Coming into the first major championship of 2024 as the overwhelming favorite, he more than fulfilled the enormous expectations by cruising to his second green jacket in three years with a four-stroke victory over Masters rookie Ludvig Aberg.

If there was ever any doubt, the golfing world now belongs to Scheffler.

Everyone else is in chase mode.

“Scottie is an amazing golfer,” said Max Homa, one of those who’s got his work cut out for him. “It’s really impressive.”

Scheffler was briefly in a four-way tie for the top spot on the final day, but his challengers crashed and burned with a succession of blunders in Amen Corner.

Then Scheffler came through, as steady as can be, which wasn’t the least bit surprising given at all the success he’s already had this year.

The Masters marked his third win in the last four starts, tacked on to his triumphs in the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Players Championship. The other finish in that stretch? A runner-up showing at the Houston Open, where Scheffler missed a short putt at the final hole.

Even though his first child will be arriving shortly, Scheffler isn’t about to back off the throttle.

“I don’t plan on taking my eye off the ball anytime soon,” he said ominously to anyone plotting to take him down.