Golfing Wisdom - Fuzzy Zoeller

Fuzzy Zoeller

"I never had any thought the whole week. I figured my caddie [Jerry Beard] knew the course a lot better than me, so I put out my hand and played whatever club he put in it. I'd say, "How hard do I hit it?" He'd tell me and I'd swing. 

The guys who come down here once a year and try to get smart with Mr. Jones' course are the dumb ones."

Fuzzy Zoeller (on winning the 1979 Masters as a rookie)

Hideki Matsuyama Lifts Masters Silver Cup

Hideki Matsuyama

Japanese teenager Hideki Matsuyama lifted the Silver Cup for the Low Amateur at the Masters Tournament, which concluded at Augusta National last night. The 19-year-old from Tohoku Fukushi University in the Tsunami-hit city of Sendai, finished tied-27th on one under par, tied with 2010 champion Phil Mickelson and first-round co-leader Alvaro Quiros.

"It was a special week for me," said Matsuyama, who earned his Masters invitation courtesy of a five-shot victory in the Asian Amateur Championship at Kasumigaseki Country Club, last year. "I enjoyed it so much. At the same time I've never felt this tired."

Matsuyama shot a 68 in Saturday's third round, a tie for the second-lowest round of the day, before closing with a 72nd-hole birdie for a 74. A recipient of R&A Foundation Scholarship funding amounting to £3,000 per academic year, the World Amateur Golf Ranking number 54 is set to make a dramatic leap up the Ranking when it is published on Wednesday [13 April].

"This Masters outing made me think there's much more room to improve in my game," said the first Japanese amateur to contest the Masters. "I'll try to win the Asian Amateur again to come back here.

“I hope my success here will bring some joy, happiness and hope to my fellow Japanese in a very difficult time.”

Matsuyama had endured a traumatic build up to the Tournament, only making a last-minute decision to take his place at Augusta National. He had spent much of the preceding three weeks searching for friends and classmates in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake and tsunami that had affected much of Japan.

"I couldn't believe this was the city where I live," said Matsuyama, who will travel back to Sendai to help with the clean-up. "It was devastated. Just beyond imagination.

Speaking early last week, he said: "I'm not sure I should play at the Masters, even at this very moment. Still, I've decided to play. So many people have pushed me; my teammates, my parents. I'm here for the people who made me who I am.

Fellow Japanese 19-year-old Ryo Ishikawa, who will donate all of his 2011 earnings to the disaster relief effort, finished two shots ahead of his compatriot in a tie for 20th place on three under par.

And, while pleased with his own performance, Ishikawa was quick to praise his amateur counterpart. "I'm happy for him…I understand that he's making the history for the Japanese amateurs," he said.

Amateur Champion Jin Jeong and World Amateur Golf Ranking Number One Peter Uihlein missed the cut, but, nevertheless performed admirably on one of the world’s most demanding stages.

Charl Schwartzel - Profile

Factfile

1984: Born August 31 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

2000: Won the South African High School Championship. Part of the South African team that won the World Junior Team Championship, a team which included Louis Oosthuizen.

2001: Won the South African High School Championship for a second consecutive season. Was named South African Junior Golfer of the Year. Claimed the Transvaal Amateur Stroke Play Championship.

2002: Won the Freddie Tait Trophy for the leading amateur in the South African Open Championship, tying for 15th place. Won the Transvaal Amateur Stroke Play Championship for a second consecutive season. Won the Indian Amateur Open Championship and the English Amateur Open Stroke Play Championship. Represented South Africa in the Eisenhower Trophy. One of his team-members was again Oosthuizen. Turned professional aged 18 and claimed his European Tour card at the Qualifying School, aged 18 years and 81 days – the third youngest player to achieve a card through the Q-School.

2003: Named Sunshine Tour Rookie of the Year.

2005: Aged 20 and three months won his maiden European Tour title when he captured the co-sanctioned Dunhill Championship in his native South Africa. His play-off victory over Neil Cheetham also placed him as the second youngest player to win an official Sunshine Tour event. Won the Sunshine Tour of Merit for the first time.

2006: With a victory at the season-ending Vodacom Tour Championship, Schwartzel broke into the world top 100 for the first time. Over the course of the following season, he would rise as high as 57th.

2007: Joined Mark McNulty to become just the second player to win the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit for three consecutive years. Won for the first time outside of South Africa, winning the Open de España.

2008: Won for a second time in Spain, winning the Madrid Masters.

2010: Won back-to-back tournaments, the Africa Open and the Joburg Open on his way to finishing eighth in The Race to Dubai; the first time he had finished inside the top ten.

2011: -Made a successful defence of the Joburg Open. Became the third South African to win the Masters Tournament, exactly 50 years to the day Gary Player claimed the first of his three titles at Augusta. Moved to a career-high of 11th in the Official World Golf Ranking.

Charl Dedicates Masters Victory to Father

Charl Schwartzel with caddie Greg Hearmon

Masters champion Charl Schwartzel dedicated his win to his father after a dramatic victory at Augusta.

Schwartzel said: "My dad played such a big part in my golf and without him I wouldn't have the golf swing I have or be where I am now."

The 26-year-old also said he was inspired by fellow countrymen Louis Oosthuizen and Ernie Els.

"To see Louis win the Open was just such a big inspiration," added Schwartzel. "Just to see him do it made me realise that it is possible and it just took me over the barrier of thinking that a major is too big for someone to win.

"We grew up together from a young age and we still play almost every single practice round together.

"We used to play every single team event, every tournament against each other and we represented South Africa for so long. We always travelled together, so we basically are the best of mates."

And Schwartzel's caddy Greg Hearmon was on hand to help the new world number 11 keep a cool head over the closing stages of the back nine at Augusta.

"You dream of these things but you don't expect them to happen," said Hearmon.

"Charl was calm down the stretch. It's a cliche but we just took it one shot at a time. It was one of those days, we just seemed to have perfect numbers, perfect yardages."

Hearmon also spoke of how far Schwartzel has come since turning professional at the age of 18 in 2002.

"Charl's gradually climbed through the ranks," continued Harmon. "He's slipped under the radar a bit because he's a quieter guy."

Caddie of The Day - Tony Navarro

Adam Scott of Australia chats with his caddie Tony Navarro on the fourth hole during the final round of the 2011 Masters Tournament on April 10, 2011 in Augusta, Georgia.

Luke Donald Comes up Short at Masters

Luke Donald

Luke Donald admitted he 'came up short' after he finished in a share of fourth at the Masters.

Donald had gone in to the tournament on the back of his victory in the par-three warm-up event.

And although no player has subsequently gone on to then win the Masters, Donald looked like he could finally end that jinx.

The WGC-Accenture Match Play champion was right in the mix for the title until the 12th, when his tee-shot led back into Rae's Creek.

Donald rallied with four birdies, though, to finish on 10-under for the tournament alongside Tiger Woods and Geoff Ogilvy.

"It was, I imagine, one of the best Masters to watch," said Donald.

"I dug deep after that five at 12 but unfortunately I've come up short. It was a roller-coaster, but I gave it my best shot."

Justin Rose and Lee Westwoos were the next Brits on the leaderboard, with the duo in a share of 11th with Steve Stricker and Edoardo Molinari.

A final-round 68 completed a superb turnaround for Rose, who had been in danger of missing the cut halfway through his second round.

Westwood, though, saw his hopes derailed with a double-bogey at the 12th - with last year's runner-up eventually carding a 70.

And Westwood was left to rue his putting as finished nine shots off the pace.

"I'm very, very frustrated," he said. "I played tee to green like a man who should have won the tournament but I was abysmal on the greens.

"I went to the belly putter today which I haven't used for six years.

"What's bugging me is that I can't hit the hole from four feet. I gave myself so many chances so to finish on five under is a killer."

Ross Fisher finished on four-under for the tournament, with a double bogey at the 16th hampering his bid to climb the leaderboard.

Scotland's Martin Laird was a shot further back after a pleasing debut at Augusta, while Ian Poulter struggled all day before finishing one-under overall. 

Paul Casey ended on one-over after a closing 71.

Rory Admits Masters Memory Will be Tough

Rory McIlroy admits he is going to find it hard to forget his Masters meltdown for a while after seeing his hopes of a first major victory evaporate in spectacular fashion on Sunday evening.

McIlroy's wait for a green jacket will go on after he crashed from four in front overnight to 10 shots behind and joint 15th place with a nightmare 80, and he said: "I was still one shot ahead going into the 10th and then things went all pear-shaped after that."

He triple-bogeyed the 10th, three-putted the 11th, four-putted the 12th and bogeyed the long 15th to become the third 54-hole leader in the last four majors - Dustin Johnson and Nick Watney were the others - to fail to break 80.

But while Johnson and Watney actually scored worse, McIlroy's advantage when he teed off was the biggest and the last time anyone lost a bigger last day lead in a major was Jean Van de Velde at Carnoustie in 1999.

By suffering such a reversal in fortunes the world number nine had even done worse than Greg Norman at Augusta in 1996. With a 78 Norman went from six clear to five behind Nick Faldo.

"It was a very disappointing day obviously." said McIlroy, "But hopefully I'll learn from it and come back a little stronger. I don't think I can put it down to anything else than part of the learning curve.

"Hopefully if I can get myself back into this position pretty soon I will handle it a little bit better.

"It will be pretty tough for me for the next few days, but I will get over it - I will be fine.

"There are a lot worse things that can happen in your life. Shooting a bad score in the last round of a golf tournament is nothing in comparison to what other people go through."

Masters Winning Round in Charl's Words

Schwartzel receives green jacket from Mickelson 

I hit 3-wood off the first which I did the whole week. I pushed my 6-iron to the right of the green. And then used a 6-iron to chip it in. That was the first.

The second, I hit a beautiful tee shot down there. I hit 5-iron in and again I just leaked it into the bunker. Thought I hit a good bunker shot and never came back down the hill. Missed the putt.

And then the third hole, I hit 4-iron off the tee, which left me with that sand wedge, which obviously I made.

The fourth hole, hit 5-iron on to the left side of the green but left myself with – I needed binoculars to see the holes. It was a long way away. I 3-putted. I think that was my only bogey of the day.

The fifth hole, 3-wood, take the bunkers out of play, which I did the whole week. I hit 7-iron, pitched into the slope, came back down and maybe another couple of yards, had a very good 2-putt.

No. 6, I hit 7-iron. Tried to hit it for the back slope and let the slope bring it back down. Didn't quite get it all the way up but still was about 20 feet away. Made par.

3-wood down 7. Hit an 8-iron which I thought was absolutely perfect and somehow stayed on top of the slope. Never came down and made a really good 2-putt.

No. 8, I hit driver down there. I hit 5-wood and it went over the back of the green. And over the back is just an impossible chip. That green was really firm. It went maybe 12 feet by. Hit a good putt, but it never broke.

No. 9, I hit driver down there which left me with another perfect yardage for a wedge. Hit a good wedge to maybe 12 feet right of the hole. Left it in the throat. Actually hit a good putt.

3-wood on 10. 7-iron on to the sort of front half of the green. 2-putted.

11, I hit a beautiful tee shot. I hit 9-iron into 11. I hit a horrible first putt, misread it completely, and then made a really good return.

12, I hit 9-iron. 12 was playing really short today. 9-iron, went over the back of the green. Luckily it stopped short of the bunker so I could putt it. Managed to make a good 2-putt from there.

13, I didn’t feel comfortable. 13, I hit 3-wood all week but decided to hit a 5-wood just to make it a three-shotter so I don’t tempt myself. I hit 5-wood up the right side and laid up with an 8-iron that left me 70 yards with a lob-wedge, which I thought was a pretty good shot up the slope, spun it back down, maybe 13 feet below the hole. Hit a good putt, never broke.

14, 3-wood again off the tee. Hit 7-iron, which I thought was a good shot, got it below the hole on 14. Another really good putt which stopped in the throat.

Then 15, driver down the fairway, left me – I mean, I had 220, which I hit 6-iron, and still went over the back. But I mean, just went over the back. Chipped, nearly went in and made that 8-footer coming back which was really important for me. 8-iron up 16. Obviously that was about – I can’t remember, 15 feet below the hole. Just a really good putt.

17, driver. Blocked by the trees. Would have been wedge for me, and had to hit a little 9-iron with a touch of cut on it, which I thought just worked absolutely perfect. Rolled up to the hole there and made a good putt.

Then driver up 18,133 yards, pitching wedge to about 14 feet. 

Schwartzel's Patience Rewarded at Augusta

Charl Schwartzel

Riding a run of four successive birdies over the final four holes of Augusta National, Charl Schwartzel pulled off an extraordinary victory in one of the most thrilling Masters ever.

In becoming the third South African after Gary Player and Trevor Immelman to don the green jacket, he managed to do it 50 years to the day after Player became the first non-American to win the tournament.

His closing six-under-par 66 shut out by two strokes the attempts by the Australian duo of Adam Scott and Jason Day to become the first player from Down Under to win the Masters.

It took extraordinary patience by Schwartzel as he endured a run of 10 consecutive pars as the lead ebbed and flowed about him before he was able to launch his final assault on the summit.

“I was getting tight coming down 15,” he admitted before the 2010 champion Phil Mickelson helped him into the green jacket.

“Adam was in front and Jason was making a move, and I needed to do something,” he said.

What he did was play the kind of nerveless golf which will win him many more tournaments, and surely many more majors.

He hit a six-iron in to the par-five 15th, setting up the first of his closing four birdies there, and then, with almost uncanny calmness, he managed to put his tee shot on the par-three 16th close enough for the next one.

With two par-fours left, Scott was one hole ahead of him and also on 12-under – but he was in trouble off the tee.

During that run of 10 pars, Schwartzel had been a little iffy off the tees, but there was nothing of that on 17 and 18, and his approaches were as secure as they ever have been, leaving himself with makeable – but not short – birdie putts.

That he drained both of them to first draw one clear and then two clear of Scott – and to keep off the charge by Day who closed with two birdies of his own on 17 and 18 – spoke volumes of his character.

“It was such an exciting day,” he said. “The atmosphere was incredible. There were so many roars.”

In the end, the roar for his birdie putt on 18 was as incredible as anything else he experienced all day.

Adam Proud of Sunday's Masters Effort

Adam Scott

Adam Scott of Australia was proud of his efforts after finishing two shots behind eventual US Masters champion Charl Schwartzel on Sunday.

Scott, 30, began the final day at Augusta National Golf Club five shots off the pace in a tie for sixth place.

As Rory McIlroy imploded to give up a four-shot advantage, Scott's second five-under-par round of 67 in succession saw him move outright first.

But it proved to be just one of the 15 times the lead would change hands in a thrilling conclusion to the tournament, with South African Schwartzel holing birdies on the last four holes to claim the green jacket.

"I played well today and that's all I could ask for," Scott said.

"Obviously I can't control Charl, and when you birdie the last four holes at the Masters and you're around the lead, that usually wins."

"Nothing I can do about it. I hung in there as long as I could and kind of had a look at it on the last but not my best effort; but still, I've got to be pretty proud with the way I played over the weekend."

Scott ended up in a tie for second alongside countryman Jason Day at 12-under for the tournament, with both men falling short in their attempt to become the first Australian to don the green jacket.

The pair could tell from a feverish atmosphere among the usually sedate Georgian spectators that they were part of a unique finish at Augusta.

"I was trying not to look at leaderboards too much," Scott said.

"But it's easy to figure out with roars and groans and stuff what's going on out there."

"I just tried to play solid, and I did everything pretty good. You can do things better here or there but under pressure, it's not easy, and I think I did well from every position I was in. So I'm pretty happy with that."

"I held the lead with a few holes to go for the win, and I'm usually a pretty good closer. I didn't do a bad job today but Charl did much better. Incredible finish. So like I said, I'm really proud of the way I played today, but disappointed to not get it done when I was right there at the end."

Australian Trio Show Major Promise

Olgilvy winner US Open 2006

Jason Day, Adam Scott and Geoff Ogilvy had thousands of sports fans glued to their televisions hoping that the Aussie hoodoo at Augusta was finally about to be broken.

For years memories of Greg Norman’s nine top-six finishes at Augusta has left many wondering if a win in the US Masters was beyond our Australian pros.

But following the performances by three of Australia’s most promising talents there were signs that

the only Major so far, the 2006 US Open won by Ogilvy, will be added top sooner, rather later.

The next Major, the 2011 US Open, is only two months away.

K.J. Choi Putts Leave Him Short at Augusta

K.J. Choi and Playing partner, Charl Schwatrzel

K.J. Choi of Korea settled for his third career top-10 finish at The Masters following an even-par 72 on Sunday.

The Asian Tour's charge was derailed with two closing bogeys as he finished in tied eighth place on an eight-under-par 280 total, six strokes behind playing partner and tournament winner Charl Schwartzel of South Africa at the Augusta National Golf Club.

“I couldn't make putts. He (Schwartzel) made some good birdies. I tried my best, I can't help how I finished, but all I can hope is to try it again next year,” said Choi.

Playing in his ninth appearance in The Masters, Choi finished third in 2004 and tied fourth in 2010 and believes he is coming closer to donning the green jacket, which is awarded to the winner of the tournament.

“I came so close, I'm getting better so it's a good experience. I'm just looking forward to next year,” added the seven-time US PGA Tour champion.

Choi’s compatriot Y.E. Yang closed with a 73 for a 285 total to finish in tied 20th place.a superb week being aggressive with his hybrids and putting style. On Sunday, he took some chances on the back nine to try and make up ground that cost him a pair of bogeys over the final two holes and Choi had to settle for a T-8 finish.

"I still felt like I had a chance off that birdie on 15. I just hit a bad shot on 17. But you know what Charl played so well today you couldn't do anything. It was his tournament to win."

 

Rory Set to Bounce Back After Augusta

Rory McIlroy

Rory McIlroy vowed to not let his Masters experience taint him after throwing away a four-shot lead in the final round at Augusta.

The Holywood golfer dropped six shots in three holes on the back nine on his way to an eight-over-par 80.

"I was leading going into the back nine and I unravelled on 10, 11 and 12 and couldn't get it back," he said.

"I'll get over it. I'll have plenty more chances - I know that."

McIlroy then logged in to his Twitter account to add: "Well that wasn't the plan! Found it tough going today, but you have to lose before you can win. This day will make me stronger in the end.

"Oh and congratulations Charl Schwartzel!! Great player and even better guy! Very happy for him and his family!"

McIlroy's disastrous round began with a bogey at the first and he followed that by almost leaving his ball in a fairway bunker on the par-five second when his shot thudded into the front lip.

Fortunately the ball bounced out but he found a greenside bunker with his next shot, only to get up and down for par.

Any thoughts that his good fortune would kick-start his round evaporated on the fifth when he dropped another shot to fall back to 10 under par.

McIlroy settled his nerves with a solid par on six and then drained a 20 foot putt on the seventh to return to 11 under par and a lead of one.

However, his Masters bid started to unravel on the 10th when his tee shot ricocheted way left off a tree and nestled between the cabins that separate the main course from the par-three course.

He hit a low hook back onto the fairway but then missed the green with his third shot, hit another tree with his fourth and finally chipped on with his fifth. Two putts later he was back at eight under par after a triple bogey seven.

McIlroy's nerves were further shredded by a three-putt on 11 and, after finding the heart of the green on the par-three 12th, he contrived to take four putts from inside 20 feet to plummet to five under par.

"I lost confidence in my putting around the turn," he conceded. "I was second guessing lines and second guessing my speed and you can't do that round here.

"The positive are that I led the tournament for 63 holes.

"Shooing a bad score on the last round of a golf tournament is not as bad as a lot of things that happen to other people.

"It'll take a bit of time but I will get over it and I'll be stronger for it."

Tiger Woods Shows Up on Masters Sunday

Tiger Woods 

Tiger Woods put himself in position to claim a fifth green jacket and had huge galleries cheering him on as Sunday saw him at times become the Tiger of old.

When he started the back nine on the final day, with the pressure of Masters Sunday affecting all around, woods was perched in his customary position at the top of the leaderboard and on the prowl.

He was five under par for the day and had just eagled the eighth hole to join the leaders. With momentum and experience on his side, the green jacket was beckoning and the galleries at Augusta National roared with excitement.

But the Woods of 2011 is not the same man who dominated golf since 1997 while racking up 14 major titles. As hard as he tried, he could not conjure up any more of his old magic.

He could only manage par at the par-five 13th hole, which he had birdied in each of the previous three rounds.

At the 15th, another par-five, he reached the green in two and had a chance for a second eagle from six feet that would have given him the outright lead. But he missed and settled for a birdie, his last for the tournament.

He played the back nine in even par for a final round 67 for a 10-under-par total of 278. By most standards it was a great performance but it was only enough to leave him tied for fourth, four back of South African winner Charl Schwartzel.

"I got off to a good start on the front nine and on the back nine didn't putt well and hit one loose iron there at 13," Woods told reporters. "I should have shot an easy three or four under on the back nine and I only posted even."

Ultimately, it was his putter that let him down. He needed 33 putts on Saturday, 31 on Sunday and missed a handful of short putts that might have been tap-ins in years gone by.

Woods has not won a major since 2008 nor any tournament since 2009.

The golf world has been waiting patiently for him to resurface and continue his chase of Jack Nicklaus's record 18 majors.

As riveting as his latest charge was, the jury is still out on whether he can win the five majors he needs to pass Nicklaus but there have been some positive signs.

The 35-year-old has been working hard at rebuilding his swing and his performance at Augusta over the past four days showed that he is anything but a spent force.

"I hit it good all day. This entire weekend I hit it good," he said, with a hint of understatement and frustration. "So that was a nice feeling."

Jason Day Masters Debut Delight

Jason Day 

Jason Day labeled his debut US Masters appearance the most exciting week of his career after falling just short of the coveted green jacket.

The 23-year-old Australian came within one shot of equaling the course record at Augusta National Golf Club on Saturday, before ending up in a tie for second after a thrilling conclusion on Monday - all in his first outing at the famous tournament.

Day birdied the last two holes to card a four-under-par 68 and reach 12-under overall, level with countryman Adam Scott.

But rather than dwell on the disappointment of narrowly missing out, Day chose to focus on the extraordinary experience of being in the running over the last nine holes at Augusta.

"It's lived up to everything I expected, and more, which is fantastic," Day said.

"I've had the best first Masters experience, and this is going to go down for a long, long time in the memory bank. I've just had a blast."

"It was unreal. It's the most exciting tournament I've ever played in."

"I was aware of - obviously I wasn't trying to pay too much attention to the leaderboard, but obviously I took a sneak peak here and there."

"You're out there in the middle of the fairway and there's roars around you and you don't know what's going on. And then all you see is that little number pop up on the leaderboards and everyone screaming. And it's an amazing feeling to be out there in the thick of things."

Day admitted that he struggled at first to find his rhythm in the pressure-cooker environment.

"I hit a few loose drives coming out of the blocks and once I birdied two that settled me down a little bit, which was nice," he said.

"But I knew that I didn't have to do too much to have a chance of winning. And in the end that was two-under coming up 17 and I birdied the last two holes to actually have a good chance of winning it."

"I knew that I had to birdie 17 and 18 when Scotty got to 12 (under par)."

"I just said on 17, I need four more good swings. And obviously I finished birdie, birdie which was great and I didn't expect that Charl Schwartzel would come back with four birdies to finish it off, but hats off to him."

Rory McIlroy Looking for Masters Positives

Rory McIlroy finds trouble at 10th

Rory McIlroy took a four-shot cushion into the final round at Augusta after leading ever since Thursday afternoon, but slumped to a closing 80 as Charl Schwartzel shot a closing 66 to win the green jacket.

McIlroy still led by a shot at the turn, but a triple-bogey seven at 10 and two more double bogeys on the back nine ended his challenge for a first major title.

"I just lost it and couldn't get it back," McIlroy said. "I'm very disappointed but I will get over it. I have to take away the positives. I led this golf tournament for 63 holes. Maybe it will build some character."

Schwartzel came out on top after a thrilling final day, making birdies at the last four holes to win by two shots from Australians Adam Scott and Jason Day.

Tiger Woods closed with a 67 to share fourth with England's Luke Donald and another Aussie Geoff Ogilvy on 278, one shot ahead of Argentina's Angel Cabrera and two better than South Korean KJ Choi and American Bo Van Pelt, all of whom had their chances to win.

"It was, I imagine, one of the best Masters to watch," Donald said. The Englishman took a double bogey at 12, birdied the 15th and 16th, took a bogey at 17 and then chipped in for a birdie at 18.

"I dug in deep and came up with some birdies down the stretch but came up short," Donald said. "I gave it my best shot."

Woods lipped out a four-foot eagle putt on the 15th that would have given him the lead on his own after playing the outward nine in 31.

"I was an interested spectator of the Tiger show on the front nine," said Ogilvy, who himself had a run of five straight birdies on the back nine. "It was quite nice to listen to the roars." The former US Open champion added: "I thought I had a chance. It was nice to finish with my best nine holes."

Woods has not won a major since the 2008 US Open but is showing signs of the form that won him 14 before his much-publicised personal problems.

"I got off to a nice start," Woods said. "On the back nine, I could have capitalised more. I hit it good all day. I'm happy about that."

Schwartzel Wins Masters on Players 50th

Charl Schwartzel 2011 Masters Champion

Charl Schwartzel of South Africa completed a historic clean sweep of Major Championships for European Tour Members as he won The Masters Tournament after a pulsating final round.

Exactly 50 years after Gary Player became the first overseas player to win at Augusta National, South African Schwartzel carded a six under par 66 to win by two from Australians Adam Scott and Jason Day.

On a day where the lead changed hands no fewer than 15 times, Schwartzel may well reflect on chip-ins at the first for birdie and third for eagle as pivotal to his success.

Facts

• For the first time in history, European Tour members now hold all four of the Major Championships. They are: Charl Schwartzel (Masters Tournament), Graeme McDowell (US Open Championship), Louis Oosthuizen (The Open Championship) and Martin Kaymer (US PGA Championship).

• Becomes the third South African to win the Masters Tournament, following Gary Player (1961, 74 and 78) and Trevor Immelman (2008).

• His first Major Championship victory in his 17th Major Championship appearance.

• His seventh European Tour International Schedule victory in his 204th European Tour event.

• This victory beats his previous best Major Championship finish of tied 14th at the 2010 Open Championship.

• Victory comes in his second Masters Tournament appearance. This victory beats his previous best performance of tied 30th in 2010.

• Horton Smith (1934), Gene Sarazen (1935) and Fuzzy Zoeller (1979) all won the Masters Tournament on their debut. Charl Schwartzel joins Jimmy Demaret (winner in 1940) and Herman Keiser (winner in 1946), in the group of players to win the Masters Tournament on their second appearance.

• His four shot final round winning comeback is the largest at the Masters Tournament since Sir Nick Faldo overcame a six shot deficit to defeat Greg Norman in 1996.

• Becomes the 24th player to win the Masters Tournament after not leading going into the final round.

• His four shot final round winning comeback is the largest on the 2011 European Tour to date, beating the two shots by S S P Chowrasia (Avantha Masters) and Nick Watney (WGC – Cadillac Championship).

Westwood Frustrated by Sunday Putting

Lee Westwood

Lee Westwood bemoaned a lack of form with the putter as his Masters Tournament challenge finished with a two under par 70.

The World Number Two finished five under par for the week at Augusta National - and despite a respectable showing the Englishman's wait for a first Major goes on.

"Today was typical of the way I played all week, really," he said.

"I played brilliant, just haven't made any. I hit a lot of great shots.

"Just today I should be standing here ten under - and that's without the carnage of the first three days on the greens here.

Last year's runner-up was clearly frustrated with what looked likely to be a share of 11th place.

"To come so close last year and got myself in good shape this year and then, but on the greens, it just makes me feel like pulling my hair out.," he added.

"I don't see any future in the short one [putter] for the near future for awhile, so I think I'll carry on with the belly putter. Maybe find one that fits a little bit better. This one isn't quite long enough and it's a bit flat, but I was battling with that today.

"It's a frustrating day, isn't it?"

Cabrera Hopes Masters Experience Counts

Angel Cabrera 

Angel Cabrera finally found his rhythm in the third round of the US Masters and the 2009 champion is now just four shots off the lead.

The Argentine - who became the first South American to don the green jacket two years ago - opened with solid, if unspectacular, rounds of one-under and two-under.

The 41-year-old was struggling to back his own swing after a four-month injury layoff in the latter part of 2010.

But he showed no such hesitation on Saturday as he carded a five-under 67 - the joint-lowest round recorded on day three.

"I think the confidence was the key," Cabrera said.

"The first two days I was hitting it okay, but I lacked that confidence and today I had it and I trusted and that made a big difference."

"I actually stopped playing for four months from August to January," he added.

"My swing wasn't the same but I've been working on it and just keep plugging (away)."

"I had a problem with tendonitis in the left wrist ... the doctor told me I had to at least stop three months. So it's not that I didn't want to play; I was told by a doctor."

Together with Tiger Woods, Cabrera is one of only two major winners in the top 10 of the leaderboard going into the final 18 holes at the Masters.

And the 2007 US Open champion is hoping experience could count in his favour during the pressure cooker of a Sunday at Augusta.

"The young kids are playing very well," he said.

"I think they deserve it; Rory (McIlroy), Jason (Day). But obviously I have won the Masters, so that should help me a lot."

"You've got to see how it evolves, how everybody is playing, how the weather is, and depending on that, then you start making decisions on what kind of strategy you're going to use."

"You've got to start your round and start playing and see how things are, but once you are on 10, that's when you know the tournament starts, that's when you know you have to be aggressive (or) you have to be a little bit conservative."

"Now that I see that I'm playing well, I sure think I can do it."

 

McIlroy Confident Ahead of Masters Sunday

Rory McIlroy is confident he can deliver after taking a four-shot lead heading into Sunday's final round of the Masters.

The 21-year-old Northern Irishman pulled away from playing partner Jason Day and other challengers including Tiger Woods on Saturday with three birdies in the last six holes.

The last came with a double-breaking 30-foot putt on the 17th hole after McIlroy rescued himself from an errant drive.

"That was a bonus," he said. "I hit the putt perfectly where I lined it up. It was tracking the whole way and just dropped in the middle.

"It was great timing," added McIlroy, who otherwise had a day to forget with his putter in a round of 70.

McIlroy's lead after 54 Masters holes is the largest since Woods held a nine-stroke advantage in 1997.

Huge moment

The former world number one proceeded to turn that into a record 12-shot win - something which fired the imagination of the very young McIlroy.

"I remember watching with my dad," the world number nine said. "I was what, seven years old when that happened?

"That's when Tiger sort of grabbed all our imaginations and won it by 12 and broke so many records. It was a huge moment in the game of golf."

If he is to win the green jacket on Sunday, however, McIlroy said any such success would not be comparable with Woods' breakthrough.

"Not really. He's done so much more for the game than I ever could or will, breaking down barriers," he said. "But a win for me, personally, it would be huge. It would be huge.

"And for the game of golf, it would be nice, as well. It would be nice to get a major early and show some of the young guys that it is possible."

McIlroy is determined not to get ahead of himself, although he is confident he can once again produce the sort of form that has taken him on to a 12 under total.

"We'll see what happens tomorrow, because four shots on this golf course isn't that much," he said before adding: "I feel very comfortable with the way I'm swinging it at the minute.

"I've hit a lot of good shots over the last three days, and there's no reason why I won't be able to do that tomorrow."

Spurred on

McIlroy, who has yet to three-putt on Augusta's lightning-fast greens, also revealed he is being spurred on by countryman Graeme McDowell - last year's US Open champion having failed to make the cut.

"Actually he just texted me and told me he loves me. I don't know what that means," McIlroy said to laughs from reporters.

"I don't know if that's him or the beer talking."