Scottie Scheffler among two Masters stars who could withdraw during tournament

Masters favourite Scottie Scheffler is on standby at Augusta National this week due to off-the-course events that could end his hopes of wearing the Green Jacket again

Scottie Scheffler could have his hopes of a second Masters success scuppered by a call from the hospital this week at Augusta National.

Scheffler, 27, is the big favourite heading into the year’s first major after a scarily good start to the PGA Tour season. The world No.1 defended his The Players Championship title last month and also won at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

After that, he warmed up for Augusta by finishing as a runner-up at the Houston Open. The American Express is the only one of his eight starts at which Scheffler did not finish inside the top 10, coming tied-17th at PGA West. But that consistency could come to an end at any point this week.

The American is on standby as his pregnant wife, Meredith, is due this month with the expectant couple’s first child. Scheffler’s high-school sweetheart often attends tournaments to see her husband play but will not be at Augusta mere weeks before her due date.

Instead, Meredith is remaining in Dallas, where the couple reside. Scheffler could also be back home sooner than expected should nature call.

Texas’ biggest city is almost a straight line west of Augusta in Georgia and around a two-and-a-half-hour flight away. That trip is one Scheffler has committed to doing should Meredith go into labour this week.

The Golf Channel has reported that he has vowed to withdraw from The Masters should he get the signal from back home. Scheffler spoke earlier this year about their excitement at their impending arrival and has only compounded that feeling by pledging to be there for the birth no matter what.

“It’s going to be pretty wild,” he remarked earlier this year. “I don’t think it’s hit either of us quite yet, but it’s an exciting time for us as a family. It’s been a pretty exciting last seven months or so, and we’re looking forward to hopefully getting the baby out of there nice and healthy and with a healthy momma, and then we’ll go from there.”

However, Scheffler’s situation is not unique among the Masters field this week. Ryder Cup teammate Sam Burns is also in the same scenario. His wife, Caroline, is expecting their first child even earlier, in just over a week.

Like Scheffler, Burns has pledged to withdraw from the tournament and embark on a journey back to Louisiana, just under a three-hour flight from Augusta. The five-time PGA Tour winner is not as heavily favoured as his good friend. Burns tees off late in the afternoon on Thursday alongside Adam Scott and Cameron Young. Scheffler goes off earlier in the day with Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele.