The American Bubba Watson has won the 76th edition of the Masters at Augusta, the first major of the season, and has now won his first Green Jacket after an incredible last day that was decided on the second hole of the play-off against the South African Louis Oosthuizen, after both finished the day on the Augusta National course with a total of 10 strokes under par.
Watson, 33, a left-handed player and the best hitter on the American Tour, won his first major and succeeded Charl Schwartzel as winner at Augusta. Bubba remained in the lead until the 16th hole, after a spectacular comeback and four birdies in a row, when he tied Oosthuizen at 10 under par.
From then on he remained focused and even came close to a birdie on the 17th hole, which would have given him the victory. However, the Masters went to an exciting play-off that went to the local player on the 10th hole.
The new Augusta champion signed a final round with 68 strokes. Oosthuizen, who holed an albatross on hole 2 (par 5) -the first in the history of the tournament on this hole and fourth overall- succumbed on the second hole of the playoff when he bogeyed, so Bubba only had to make par to claim the victory and the glory.
Third place, two strokes ahead of the playoff protagonists, was shared by Lee Westwood, Matt Kuchar, Peter Hanson and Phil Mickelson.
Among the Spaniards, the best was Sergio García, who shot one under par (71) to finish in twelfth place, with an overall score of 2 under par. Miguel Angel Jimenez, who had started the tournament with 69 strokes, finished it with a card of 81, which relegated him to 56th place, while Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño had to settle for 61st place.
Neither Tiger Woods nor Rory McIlroy, two of the a priori favorites, met expectations and performed mediocrely at Augusta National.
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