In one of the most dramatic finishes in Masters history, Englishman Danny Willett was the last man standing at Augusta on Sunday to win his first major title.
The 28-year-old Willett, who hails from Sheffield, shot a brilliant 67 to end on 5-under-par and clinch victory by three shots over fellow countryman Lee Westwood and defending champion Jordan Spieth of the United States.
Willett is only the second golfer from England to grab a Green Jacket, following in the footsteps of three-time Masters winner Sir Nick Faldo, who last triumphed at Augusta in 1996.
It was the normally cool 22-year-old Spieth who suffered a total meltdown on Amen Corner when seemingly cruising to victory. Having turned in a superb front-nine of 4-under 32 with four consecutive birdies from the sixth to the ninth, Spieth was well on his way to making a successful defence of his title, with a “wire-to-wire” victory on the cards.
The American was on 7-under-par after nine holes and five shots ahead of Willett, who had just held a tricky par putt on the 12th to remain second at 2-under.
But then Spieth’s downward spiral began as he bogeyed No 10, while Willett birdied the 13th for a two-shot swing.
It was the same situation a hole later as Spieth missed a par putt on 11, while Willett got a second consecutive birdie on the 14th.
But the turning point came at the par-three 12th where Spieth lost the plot and found the water with his tee-shot, and proceeded to fluff his third into the hazard as well.
The fifth shot was well over the green and went into the back bunker, but Spieth managed to get it up and down from there for an ugly seven.
He dropped down to 1-under, while Willett held his par putt at the 15th to take the lead for the first time.
But the intrigue didn’t end there, as Westwood hit back with an eagle at the 15th with a long putt to go to 3-under-par, just one shot behind Willett in a memorable finish.
Willett, though, thrived under the pressure and nailed a five-foot birdie clutch putt at the 16th to go to 5-under. His lead was extended to three shots when Westwood missed a short par putt at the same hole, and it was Willett in the pound seats.
Even though Spieth fought back with a birdie at 13, it wasn’t enough, while Dustin Johnson’s double bogey at 17 ended his challenge.
The only South African to make the cut, Louis Oosthuizen, hit a hole-in-one at the 16th to end tied 15th on 3-over-par.
-5 Danny Willett (England): 70-74-72-67 (283)
-2 Lee Westwood (England): 71-75-71-69 (286)
Jordan Spieth (USA): 66-74-73-73 (286)
-1 Paul Casey (England): 69-77-74-67 (287)
JB Holmes (USA): 72-73-74-68 (287)
Dustin Johnson (USA): 73-71-72-71 (287)