Over his 40 years calling the Masters at Augusta National, Jim Nantz has learned to expect the unexpected. So when Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1 player in the Official World Golf Rankings, approached his second shot at the Par 3 12th hole on Friday afternoon, Nantz was ready for Scheffler to showcase his world-class short game. Scheffler’s tee shot at Golden Bell, the official name of No. 12, nearly caused his round to unravel as he hit it into the wooded backdrop behind the green. However, fortune favored the two-time Masters winner; he received a bounce that sent the ball out of the bushes just off the green.
As Scheffler prepared for his second shot, Nantz sensed a potential special moment, recalling how Scheffler had chipped in from this very area in a previous Masters. “He’s chipped in here before. I’m sure that’s not lost on him,” Nantz remarked as Scheffler addressed the ball. Like clockwork, Scheffler holed the chip shot, moving to -5 for the tournament and -1 for the day. “It’s got a chance… Oh my goodness! He did it,” Nantz exclaimed. “Could have been a five, maybe even more. Walks away with a two. There are years you see something happen on a Friday and just know come Sunday that you are going to be reflecting on its importance. This might be one of those moments.”
“He’s chipped in here before. I’m sure that’s not lost on him either. Got a chance… OH MY GOODNESS HE DID IT!” – Jim Nantz with the Masters call as Scottie Scheffler gets a chip-in birdie at No. 12. ⛳️🎯🎙️pic.twitter.com/xLoc4M2ehh
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 11, 2025
Although Scheffler didn’t have his best game on Friday, finishing the day still at -5 for the tournament, as Nantz pointed out, avoiding near disaster and turning it into a birdie keeps him in contention—just three shots behind leader Justin Rose. Only time will tell if Nantz’s intuition about this moment will resonate come Sunday. Regardless, it’s clear that Nantz possesses a sixth sense for anticipating magical shots at Augusta National.
