Phil Mickelson won the 68th Masters in Georgia with a dramatic last-hole birdie to beat Ernie Els by a single stroke on Sunday.
In one of the most electrifying final nine-hole battles to date seen over the famed Augusta National Golf Club, the two men battled it out, firing birdies and eagles, but it was Mickelson who snatched victory.
It was an emotional moment for the 33-year-old who was playing in his 47th major championship. Finally he has rid himself of the tag of the best player never to have won a major.
”All through the round I kept telling myself, ‘This is my day. Today is the day’,” Mickelson said. ”It’s an amazing feeling.”
He is also only the fourth player in Masters history to win the championship with a birdie on the 72nd hole.
Mickelson had to draw on all his courage as he suddenly found himself three off the lead as he walked to the 12th green after Els eagled the par-five 13th.
But Mickelson never flinched — drilling his birdie putt to close the gap.
He then carded back-to-back birdies to move to within one of the charging South African.
A birdie on the treacherous par-three 16th tied him for the lead and Mickelson had his eyes firmly fixed on the green jacket he so desperately wanted.
With Els in the clubhouse at eight-under, Mickelson drove into prime position on the 18th. His approach went 6m behind the flag but then playing partner Chris DiMarco gave Mickelson the break of the tournament.
He put his ball on the exact same line and was putting first.
As fellow American DiMarco’s putt slipped past, Mickelson quickly ran across the green to see the path taken by DiMarco’s putt.
Lesson learned, Mickelson hit the birdie putt true and as it vanished into the hole he jumped with joy.
He had finally won a major.
Els was gracious in defeat.
”It’s hard to explain how I feel now. I had a good shot at it. I was playing good, played well. Phil beat me. He made a great putt there. It is a tough hole. He deserved to win.
”We both knew the shots we needed to do. He made some birdies coming in. He deserved to win. It just didn’t work out for me,” Els said.
Els had watched Mickelson play his second to the 18th, sitting beside the green, eating an apple.
He then went off to the practice putting green in case of a playoff. But in the end it wasn’t necessary. — Sapa-AFP