Adam Scott has won 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.
Adam Scott, 32, holed a 15ft birdie putt in deteriorating light across the 10th green on the second extra hole to deprive Angel Cabrera after both players birdied the 18th in regulation to reach nine under on a dank, drizzly day.
Australian Jason Day, runner up with Adam Scott in 2011, was third at seven under with Tiger Woods (70) and another Australian Marc Leishman (72) 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 Adam 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.”
Adam Scott rolled in a stunning long birdie putt on the 18th for a 69 to snatch a one-shot lead over Angel Cabrera, who was waiting back down the fairway in the final group. The Argentina’s 2009 winner 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 Adam Scott.
Both came up slightly short of the 18th green on the first extra hole and Angel Cabrera, playing first, almost holed his chip and tapped in from a foot for a four.
Adam Scott 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 Angel Cabrera, who won a play-off against Chad Campbell and Kenny Perry three years ago, missed his putt before Adam Scott made his.
“That’s how golf is. I came back and I had that chip on 18, I could have won it,” said Angel 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.”
Angel 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 Adam Scott and Jason Day, who was two in front with three to play before bogeys at 16 and 17.
Tiger 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 2005.
Tiger Woods, a 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 Tiger 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.”
Chinese 14-year-old amateur Guan Tianlang finished with a 75 for 12 over on his remarkable debut that saw him become the youngest Masters competitor and youngest player to make the cut at a major, and winner of the low amateur prize.
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