Call them ‘eight-thousanders’, in homage to one of the most exciting and gruelling challenges in mountaineering and sport in general, or special category climbs, borrowing from cycling heritage. But it is common to use these two similes to refer to a string of challenges, usually sporting. Scottie Scheffler has quite a few ahead of him this week at Augusta National. In reality, as many as one wants to find, using imagination and ingenuity, as some are merely anecdotal.
We have found up to fourteen, to take the simile to the extreme, as there are fourteen imposing and legendary peaks on Earth that exceed eight thousand metres, as is well known. So forgive the boldness, brave mountaineers, as the harsh reality of each of the eight-thousanders far surpasses this fiction.
These are the fourteen eight-thousanders Scheffler faces from this Thursday at Augusta National:
1. (Shishapangma, 8027 metres). This is the first Masters Scheffler attends with Bennett, his first and to date only child, who has not yet turned one year old. Let’s be honest: more than an eight-thousander, his presence can at times become a gentle slope and descent, as it might even help him unwind when he returns from the course.
2. (Gasherbrum II, 8034 metres). Scheffler, like most, is not particularly fond of dealing with the media when the round hasn’t gone well. It’s normal. But some put on a brave face and stand in front of the microphone, and Scheffler isn’t always able to do so. This week, at Augusta National, it will be a bit more challenging to dodge the strict Masters protocol, when it comes to the World Number One and the defending champion.
3. (Broad Peak, 8051 metres). The Texan is dealing with some serious allergy issues this week, although he has already made it clear that “the sniffles” won’t stop him in any way.
4. (Gasherbrum I, 8080 metres). If he wins, Scheffler could become the second player in history whose first three Major wins were at the Masters. The first and only one to achieve such a peculiar feat was Jimmy Demaret, who won the Masters in 1940, 1947, and 1950, although he did not add any more Majors to his record, which would certainly be something to see in the case of a mega champion like Scottie.
5. (Annapurna, 8091). Although not one of the highest eight-thousanders, Annapurna is a true myth, among other things due to its difficulty, so in this quadrant, it’s time to get more serious: Scheffler’s game arrives at the Masters with some real uncertainties to clear up, although his last appearance in Houston already showed his best version in several phases of the tournament. This is one of his biggest challenges this week, because in the majors, weaknesses are more exposed than in any other event.
6. Nanga Parbat, 8,126 metres). Another tough nut to crack, this Nanga Parbat, although it’s not one of the highest. But this ‘eight-thousander’ has actually already been conquered. Let us explain: if Scheffler leaves the Masters as the World Number One, he would equal the number of weeks Dustin Johnson spent at the top of the rankings (135), placing him only behind Tiger Woods (683) and Greg Norman (331), but it can already be confirmed that, whatever happens, Scottie will retain the World Number One on Sunday.
7. (Manaslu, 8163 metres). It wouldn’t hurt his objectives to make an eagle for the first time on the 8th hole, par 5, or the 15th hole, also par 5. So far, he has never achieved it on either of the two holes in the five editions of the Masters he has played.
8. (Dhaulagiri I, 8167 metres). If Scheffler has done one thing well at Augusta National so far, it has been avoiding big numbers. He has only five double bogeys in the twenty competition rounds he has played at the Georgia colossus. It seems vital that he maintains the same line if he aspires to a third victory.
9. (Cho Oyu, 8,201 metres). A challenge with substance that also has something to do with big numbers. Scheffler would greatly enhance his chances if he overcomes the trauma he suffers on the 18th hole. It is never usually one of the most difficult on the course (it ranks 7th in difficulty in Augusta National’s history), but it is the only one where he has recorded two double bogeys, and it is the hole where he has the worst cumulative score (+6) in the twenty rounds he has played.
10. (Makalu, 8,485 metres). Ah, the 5th hole, which sometimes becomes very difficult. Just ask Scottie, who has gone four entire editions of the tournament without making a birdie on it. He has made only one, but it was in the second round of his first appearance, in 2020.
11. (Lhotse, 8,516 metres). Scheffler is the only player in Masters history to have achieved five top 20 finishes in his first five appearances. Will he really be able to take this incredible streak further?
12. (Kangchenjunga, 8,586 metres). A tremendous challenge in sight: statistics say it’s time for a non-American player to win a Major again. The stars and stripes have won the last seven that have been played, all since Rahm won the Masters in 2023, the best streak for American golf in the majors since Gary Player won the Masters in 1978 and broke a mega streak of thirteen consecutive victories for American golf.
13. (K2, 8,611 metres). No joke with K2, surely the peak that presents the most difficulties of the fourteen eight-thousanders, so let’s present a monumental challenge to honour it: if he wins, Scheffler could become the fourth player in history to successfully defend the title at Augusta National, after Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo, and Tiger Woods.
14. (Everest, 8,848 metres). Experts in mountaineering assure that it is not the peak that poses the most problems of the fourteen eight-thousanders, not by a long shot, but its undeniable charisma, by being the roof of the world, leads us to link it to the greatest record Scheffler would surpass in case of victory: if he wins, the Texan would become the first player in history to achieve his third green jacket on the sixth attempt. Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Tiger Woods achieved it on the eighth and certainly set the bar to beat.
