Tiger Woods has become the first player to hold all four Majors at once following his two shot victory at the Augusta Masters overnight. The 25-year-old American confirmed his position as the greatest exponent of the modern game, clinching victory following a tense battle with close friends David Duval and Phil Mickelson.
Woods rolled in an 18-footer of his own on the same green to clinch the victory and accomplish something few expected to see in their lifetimes. With a closing 68 and 16-under-par total of 272, Woods added his second green jacket to the US Open, Open and US PGA championships he gathered last season.
The world number one wants to claim it as a Grand Slam, but that strictly speaking is all four in one year. Maybe he can now end all arguments by going out and defending the other three in the next four months. Woods has now won five of the last six majors and six in all in a career which continues to defy belief at a time when the strength in depth is greater than at any point in the game's history.
He arrived for the final round comforted by the knowledge that he had led going into the last 18 holes of five majors and won them all. Now it is six. Five behind after an opening 70 last Thursday, he stepped up a gear with a 66 to lie only two behind at halfway. Then came a 68 which he described as plodding, but which was enough to propel him into the lead while all around were losing their heads. Then came Sunday's 68 to secure the victory.
A triumphant Woods admitted afterwards: "It's hard to explain. I have an eerie calmness. I have succeeded in what I wanted to accomplish and it feels great, but I don't feel ecstatic yet because it has not sunk in. I think this will go down as one of the top moments in our sport and I am very proud.
Duval, who had remarkably birdied seven of the first 10 holes but because of two bogeys was still involved in a dogfight, added: "I've been here before, huh? But congratulations to Tiger, to shoot 68 under the circumstances was outstanding. I played great, but I had a few opportunities I could have capitalised on." Duval has now finished second, sixth, third and second in the last four Masters, while third-placed Mickelson has had eight top-seven finishes in Majors - four of them at Augusta to remain the nearly men of the sport.
Darren Clarke finished at 4 under after a final round 73, while Padraig Harrington completed a disappointing weekend with a 71, to finish one under for the tournament. (PA)
Filed by Shane Murray
