Wednesday 3 April 2019 19:08, UK
Jordan Spieth became the second youngest winner in Masters history as he completed his wire-to-wire victory at Augusta with very few nervy moments in Sunday’s final round.
The 21-year-old led Justin Rose by four shots going into the last 18 holes, and with Rose struggling for any fluency, he cruised home four shots clear of the Englishman and Phil Mickelson to claim his first Green Jacket and maiden major championship.
Spieth took the lead on Thursday, opening the tournament with a sensational round of 64, and he never relinquished his advantage, breaking a number of records including one for most birdies, which was secured on his back-nine on Sunday.
Rose and Spieth managed birdies at the opening hole and the Englishman closed the gap to three strokes on a couple of occasions – when he birdied the second and again when Spieth made a hash of the seventh.
But Rose failed to take advantage of the par-five eighth, where Spieth made a birdie, and he then dropped a shot at the ninth when he missed a short putt.
Spieth extended the lead out to six shots at the 10th when he holed a lovely uphill birdie putt, setting another record with his 26th birdie of the week, although his putter did let him down for once at the 12th when he three-putted and dropped a shot.
Like Rose, Mickelson was enduring a mixed bag of results, completing his front nine in a disappointing level par 36, but he took advantage of the par five 13th to pick up a shot and then produced one of the loudest cheers of the day when he holed from a bunker for eagle to close within four.
But Spieth extended that lead over Mickelson back to five when he reached 19 under with a birdie at the 15th, becoming the first player to reach that score in the tournament’s history – Rose followed him in to keep his deficit at four strokes with three to play.
Records galore
Spieth, who also set records for the lowest 36 and 54-hole totals, gave Rose a chance at the 16th when his tee-shot flew over the green, but Rose just missed his birdie putt and the Texan converted a 10-foot putt for par.
Mickelson converted a fine up and down at the last to at least secure third place with a final round 69, but in the group behind him there was simply no stopping Spieth, showing calmness beyond his tender years.
He just missed a birdie putt at the 17th, as did Rose, and was off target from the tee on the last, but he recovered well to end any hopes Rose might have had of a miracle comeback.
Rose missed a putt for par on the last, dropping into a tie for second with Mickelson, and he left the stage clear for Spieth to finish off the biggest win of his fledgling career, albeit missing a par putt to finish with an 18 under total of 270 to equal the tournament record rather than beat it.
Further down the leaderboard, Rory McIlroy had his best round of the week as he closed with a six under 66 to take fourth place, just ahead of young Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama.
The world No 1, who went into the week trying to win a career grand slam, missed a few birdie chances early in his round, but he picked up six strokes in his last 12 holes in a bogey-free round, closing with a fine birdie at the last.
Matsuyama showed why he is expected to become Asia’s first major champion with a similarly impressive 66., the highlight an eagle at the 13th as he produced his best golf of the week a little too late to contend.
Two more English players, Paul Casey (68) and Ian Poulter (67) shared sixth place with Dustin Johnson, who was left to rue a costly double-bogey five at the short 16th, where his tee-shot found the water.
And there was no dream finale for Tiger Woods, with his radar proving wayward off the tee in a sloppy round of 73 which dropped him into a tie for 17th with Sergio Garcia.
Woods popped a bone in his hand out of its joint when he played a shot from the pine needles on the ninth, but his play actually improved on the back nine, only for a bogey at the last to cost him a shot and a place in the top 12.
However Woods did manage to hold on to one of his Masters records, with Spieth five months older than Woods was when he won his first Augusta title in 1997.
Final leaderboard:
-18 Jordan Spieth (USA)
-14 Phil Mickelson (USA), Justin Rose (Eng)
-12 Rory McIlroy (NIrl)
-11 Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn)
-9 Paul Casey (Eng), Ian Poulter (Eng), Dustin Johnson (USA)
-8 Hunter Mahan (USA), Zach Johnson (USA), Charley Hoffman (USA)
