Justin Rose has acknowledged that he had control of The Masters before Sergio Garcia's comeback denied him victory at Augusta.
So when Garcia's birdie putt on the playoff hole rolled around the cup and in, it wasn't just the culmination of a fantastic duel with Justin Rose, it wasn't just his first major championship, it was him overcoming everything that had happened in the past for a moment that was nearly 20 years in the making.
"I just need to take baby steps to get back on top".
Garcia, a 37-year-old Spaniard, could finally claim a long-sought major on what would have been the 60th birthday of his idol Seve Ballesteros, who died of brain cancer in 2011 at age 54. And Willett, who put the green jacket on to Garcia, won the Dubai Desert Classic two months before he won the 2016 Masters. "He was playing extremely well", Garcia said. There wasn't going to be a lot I could have done today. "I plan to play aggressive because at this point, it's win or go home", he said. I've had so many good chances and either I lost them or someone has done something extraordinary to beat me.
The 36-year-old's lacklustre final round of 1-over-par 73 left him tied for ninth at 2-under and seven shots back of the 72-hole totals set by victor Sergio Garcia and runner-up Justin Rose.
Tom Kite won the PGA Tour money title twice and had played in 67 majors as a pro before he finally won the 1992 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach when he was 42. Garcia quickly took a two-stroke lead with birdies on Nos.
However, Rose later failed at the first hole of the tiebreaker, where Sergio Garcia finished with a birdie, achieving his first green jacket of victory. I was surprised how I felt out there. And if I don't, then so be it.
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Devan Dubnyk stopped 30 shots as No. 40 picked up win No. 40. "First after their goal, and then after the disallowed goal". The last two meetings were decided by one goal, and it wouldn't be surprising if that's the case throughout this series.
However, after taking a penalty drop and pitching out onto the fairway, he got up and down from 90 yards for par and saw Rose unable to hole from six feet for birdie.
Fellow Spaniard, victor of 14 grand slam tennis titles and sometime golf partner, Rafael Nadal was gripped by the drama at Augusta, saying: "Very exciting after so many years struggling so much!"
"I felt a calmness I never felt on a major Sunday".
As former victor Charl Schwartzel (-6) made a push along with debutant Thomas Pieters (-5) Matt Kuchar (-6) stole the show and got the crowd going with a sensational hole-in-one on the 16.
The lucky bounce again went Rose's way off the tee and he found trees, or one solid enough to send his ball back in to the pinestraw.
"Then he made a great five at 13; great second shot at 14; eagle at 15 with an unbelievable shot; had a tough putt he missed at 16; nice par at 17 and a really good shot at 18 and he just misread the putt". That group includes world No. 2 Rory McIlroy, who was only five shots behind despite not shooting under par either of the first two rounds. After a bogey on No. 5, Rose birdied Nos. I would have had to shoot a tremendous round and the round of the day by a couple of shots.
Sergio GarciaI did think about, am I ever going to win one?. Sharing ninth on 215 were Belgium's Thomas Pieters, trying to become the first Masters debutante to win since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979, and England's Lee Westwood, seeking his first major title in his 75th major.
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