The only stumble came at the end when Scheffler needed four putts from 40 feet on the 18th before he could claim his first major, and that only mattered in the record book.

He closed with a one-under 71 for a three-shot victory over Rory McIlroy, who holed out from the bunker on the final hole for a record-tying final round of 64 that gave him the briefest moment of hope that Sunday pressure at Augusta National might get to Scheffler.

No chance. Not the past four days. Not the past two months.

And to think it was just 56 days ago that Scheffler was still searching for his first PGA Tour victory.

The 25-year-old from Dallas now has four wins in his past six tournaments.

"I cried like a baby this morning. I was so stressed out. I didn't know what to do," Scheffler said. “I was sitting there telling (wife) Meredith, "I don't think I'm ready for this ... and I just felt overwhelmed. I think because it's the Masters."

No prize was greater than that green jacket.

The Sunday theatre, thrilling and tragic, belonged to everyone else.

Scheffler overcame a nervy moment early in the round by chipping in for birdie.

RIGHT: Scheffler celebrates on the 18th green after claiming his first major championship win. PHOTO: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images.

He delivered key putts to keep Cameron Smith at bay and never looked rattled, even as he was swatting at short putts at the end.

McIlroy was the runner-up.

It was Smith who felt as though he let one get away.

The Aussie was still in the game, three shots out of the lead, when he dumped his tee shot in Rae's Creek on the par-3 12th hole for triple bogey and ended his hopes.

Smith closed with a 73 and tied for third with Shane Lowry, who birdied the 18th for a 69.

Scheffler joined Ian Woosnam in 1991 as the only players to win a major – the Masters in both cases – in their debut at No.1 in the world.

Scheffler, who finished at 10-under 278, won $2.7 million ($A3.6m).

That brings his total to $8,872,200 ($A12m) over his past six starts.

"If you're going to choose a golf tournament to win, this would be the tournament," Scheffler said. You don't know how many chances you're going to get."

RELATED: Inside Scheffler's winning bag

McIlroy had the round of the day, capped by a birdie at the 18th when he holed out from a bunker.

But his quest for the career Grand Slam will have to wait another year.

"If you're going to choose a golf tournament to win, this would be the tournament. You don't know how many chances you're going to get." - Scottie Scheffler.

McIlroy's playing partner, Collin Morikawa, followed his lead at the last hole, making birdie from the sand to snare fifth.

Will Zalatoris, who was the 2021 runner-up in his Masters debut, shot 67 to move to three-under and tie with Canada's Corey Conners for sixth.

Five-time Masters champion Tiger Woods shot 78 for the second day in a row to share 47th place at 13-over, in his return to competitive golf after more than 500 days.