AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Scottie Scheffler came to Augusta National this week looking to join Jack Nicklaus as the only players to win three Masters in a four-year span.

He had to settle for a fourth-place finish.

Scheffler, the No. 1 player in the world and the pre-tournament favorite, shot a 3-under 69 on Sunday to finish at 8-under 280 in a week when he could never recapture the mojo that led to titles in 2022 and 2024 at Augusta National.

But he walked away encouraged by his play.

"It was easily a week in which I could have gotten frustrated with either how I was playing or how I was swinging or stuff going on, on the course, not hitting it where I was looking," Scheffler said. "I was just proud of the way we hung in there and put up a good fight. A few different things happen today and I maybe have a chance in the tournaments. I wasn't far off."

Scheffler, who hasn't won on the PGA Tour this year, said it was "something to build off of."

For a moment, it looked like eventual champion Rory McIlroy had opened the door for Scheffler when he double-bogeyed the 13th and bogeyed the 14th.

Scheffler was two shots back, but he could manage only par on each of his final four holes.

"I felt like I had to birdie the last three holes," Scheffler said. "Not making birdie on 15 definitely hurt. But overall, the bogey on 12 kind of set me back a little bit. But I bounced back quick with birdies on 13 and 14. I felt like I bounced back really well today.

"I think this was the best I've been mentally all year. I think my game just wasn't there."