SenormomentasGarciawinstheMasters
SERGIO GARCIA last night won the Masters after a dramatic duel in the sun play-off victory over Ryder Cup team-mate Justin Rose at Augusta – and finally buried his Major hoodoo.
The pair went head-to-head over a sensational final round which eventually went to the last green of the 72-hole tournament.
Both players were tied at nine under on the last tee,
Rose then fired his second shot to within eight feet of the flag only for his Spanish rival to come within five feet of the hole.
Rose then missed his putt only for Garcia to watch his shot slide agonisingly by to take the battle to a play off. And it was Garcia who raised his arms in triumph at the first play-off hole to claim his maiden Green Jacket.
The Spaniard said: “I am just overwhelmed. I always dreamed of this moment but now it has happened I can hardly believe it.”
Earlier, Rory McIlroy admitted he had simply not played well enough after his third attempt to complete the career grand slam failed to spark into life at Augusta National. McIlroy needs victory in the Masters to become only the sixth player to have won all four major titles, but never fully recovered from a slow start in the opening round.
The 27-year-old battled back from being three over par after eight holes to card an opening 72, but subsequent scores of 73 and 71 meant a closing 69 left the four-time major winner well off the pace on three under par.
McIlroy said. “It wasn’t quite good enough. I felt like I had an opportunity yesterday to shoot something in the mid to high 60s which would have got me closer to the lead today and I didn’t quite do that. I gave a decent account for myself and will come back next year and try again.”
McIlroy felt he still had a chance of claiming a first Green Jacket if he could match, or better, his lowest score in the Masters, a 65 in the first round having seemingly set him on course for victory in 2011.
However, after making a birdie on the par-five second, the Northern Irishman three-putted the fourth from 95 feet and had to scramble to save par on the next two holes.
Birdies on the eighth, 13th and 16th ensured McIlroy broke 70 for the first time this week and he refused to blame a limited schedule this year - caused by a rib injury - for his performance.
“I feel the time off was a blessing,” he added. “I got to work on my short game. I felt as comfortable on the greens here as I ever had, even though I had a couple of three-putts.”
South African Charl Schwartzel finished third while Matt Kuchar added to the grand tradition of holes in one at the 16th hole in the final round on his way to a fourthplace finish on five under.