An awesome run of four birdies over the final four holes landed Charl Schwartzel his first Major title after he swept through the Masters field on an astonishing day at the Augusta National.
Maybe it was always going to be the 26-year-old's championship after he chipped in from off the green for a birdie at the first and then holed his second shot for an eagle at the 350-yards par-4, third.
Great shots tinged with luck they might have been, but it took more than good fortune to close the tournament out as the slender-framed South African held his nerve in a display of power and precision over the closing stretch for a final round of 66 - the best score of the day.
Yet it was such a roller coaster afternoon, Schwartzel, playing alongside K J Choi in the penultimate pairing, was only confirmed champion after holing out at the 18th and extending his lead by two shots over Adam Scott and Jason Day on -12.
For a while it looked like either of the two Australians might become their nation's first Masters champion, but it wasn't to be. In fact, on a day when the lead was passed around like a gift in a child's party game, any one of nine players could have walked away from Augusta wearing the coveted Green Jacket.
At the start of the afternoon all eyes were on Rory McIlroy, the prodigious young Northern Irishman who had played so beautifully over the first three rounds, and who held an overnight four-shot lead.
McIlroy hung on gamely through the front nine as the pack, led by a classic Tiger Woods charge, closed in. But the wheels came off the 21-year-old's challenge during a horrific 45-minute spell which saw him leak six shots in three holes after the turn, and he ended up carding a painful 80.
A shell-shocked McIlroy, who admitted losing confidence over his putting stroke, failed to recover and it will be interesting to see how he uses this experience in the future.
Woods, meanwhile, was back to his imperious best over the front nine, carding 31 shots for a -5 total. Was this to be the first time the former World Number One would come through the field on the final day to win his 15th Major title? Not today.
A level par back nine left Woods frustrated as his touch deserted him when faced with eagle and birdie putts on the 15th and 16th, and his charge lost momentum.
Elsewhere, others who will leave Augusta believing they missed a golden chance to claim a Major include Choi, past champion Angel Cabrera, Geoff Ogilvy, Luke Donald and Bo Van Pelt. Each had opportunities to stake a claim but, ultimately, it was Schwartzel who remained composed with the finish of a true champion.
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