Adam Scott clinched his maiden major title and became the first Australian winner of the Masters with victory against former champion Angel Cabrera in a sudden death play-off at Augusta.
Scott, 32, holed a 15ft birdie putt in virtual darkness across the 10th green on the second extra hole to deprive Argentina’s 2009 winner after both players birdied the 18th in regulation to reach nine under on a dank, drizzly day.
Australian Jason Day, runner up with Scott in 2011, was third at seven under with Tiger Woods (70) and another Australian Marc Leishman (70) tied for fourth at five under.
“It fell my way today, there was some luck there but it’s incredible to be in this position. I’m honoured,” said Scott, who squandered a four-shot lead with four to play to lose the Open to Ernie Els last year.
“This is the one thing in golf we hadn’t been able to achieve,” he added. “It’s amazing that it’s my destiny to be the first Australian to win.”
Scott’s long birdie putt on the 18th gave him a round of 69 and a one-shot lead over Cabrera, who was waiting back down the fairway in the final group. The Argentine kept his focus despite the roars from the green and hit his approach to a few feet before making his birdie for a 70 to join Scott.
Both came up slightly short of the 18th green on the first extra hole and Cabrera, playing first, almost holed his chip and tapped in from a foot for a fourScott left his chip three feet shy but holed it and they went back down the 10th. They both hit good approaches to the heart of the green but Cabrera, who won a play-off against Chad Campbell and Kenny Perry three years ago, missed his putt before Scott made his.
“That’s how golf is. I came back and I had that chip on 18, I could have won it,” said Cabrera.
“But Adam’s a good winner. I would have been happier if I had won but he’s a great player, I get along with him, we’ve played together in the President’s Cup and I’m happy for him.”
Cabrera, the joint overnight leader with Brandt Snedeker, held a two-shot lead at nine under during the first nine but on the way home he shared the lead with Scott and Day, who was two in front with three to play before bogeys at 16 and 17.
Woods was four behind at the start of the day after being penalised two shots for an illegal drop on Friday, but struggled to ignite his round and carded a two-under 70 for a seventh top four in his last eight Masters following his last win in 2005The 14-time major champion, chasing his fifth Green Jacket and first major title since 2008, said his putting cost him.
“I played well, unfortunately I just didn’t make enough putts and also missed a few shots here and there,” said Woods, the world number one.
“I certainly had an opportunity. If I shot 65 I thought I could win it outright, and it looked like that might be the number. I just couldn’t quite get the peed right the first eight holes I left them short.”
American Snedeker slumped to a 75 for four under with 23-year-old Danish debutantThorbjorn Olesen, who finished with a 68 to head the European challenge.
England’s Lee Westwood once again led the British challenge and got to four under at the seventh before finishing three under with a 71. The 39-year-old, who was second in 2010 and third last year, is still chasing his first major at the 60th attempt.
“Any time you finish top 10 in a major you’ve got to be pleased with that,” said Westwood. “There’s not too many negatives to take away.”
