Angel Cabrera claimed his second major title after a three-man play-off with Americans Kenny Perry and Chad Campbell at the Masters.
Woods and Mickelson serve up early drama
Angel Cabrera claimed his second major title after a three-man play-off with Americans Kenny Perry and Chad Campbell at the Masters.
The Argentinian won at the second extra hole after making a clutch six-foot par putt to stay in the play-off at the first extra hole.
But Perry will feel he should have become the oldest ever major champion at the age of 48 after blowing a two-shot lead with two holes of regulation to play.
But successive fives meant he had to go into a play-off with Cabrera (71) and Campbell (69).
The 2007 US Open champion looked out of it after his drive at 18 finished behind a tree and his opponents both found the fairway.
His second shot ricocheted off a tree and out onto the fairway but 120 yards short of the green.
His lifeline came when Perry and Campbell both missed the green.
Campbell failed to get up and down from the bunker, missing a five footer, but Perry and Cabrera both made four.
Perry missed the green again at the second play-off hole (the 10th) and failed to get up and down from trouble on the left.
That opened the door for Cabrera, who two-putted from 15 feet to become the first Argentinian to win a green jacket.
Earlier, Perry had blown a two shot lead with bogey fives on 17 and 18. He had made 11 straight pars before a birdie two at 12.
He added birdies at 15 and 16 to go two clear, the latter courtesy of a superb eight iron at the par three to 12 inches.
But at 17 he missed the green and then fired his chip past the flag and off the other side, doing well to two-putt for bogey.
At the last, he pulled his tee shot into a bunker and then failed to get up and down from left of the green, missing a 14-foot par putt to win the tournament.
That meant he finished with a one-under 71 to set up a play-off with Cabrera and Texan Campbell and it was the Argentinian who came out on top.
Augusta Sunday
On a thrilling Augusta Sunday, Playing partners Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods served up the early drama as both men threatened to overhaul the leaders from seven shots back at the start of the day.
Two-time former champion Mickelson made a blistering start with six birdies in his opening nine holes to be out in 30, equalling the Masters record for the front nine.
But the world number two blew his chance on the back nine, starting at the 12th.
He took a nine iron at the 157-yard par three but came up short and found the water, then failed to get up and down and took five.
A birdie at the par five 13th got him back in the hunt, but he missed a three footer for eagle at 15 and another from a similar distance at 17 for birdie and his chance was gone.
He then bogeyed the last after missing the fairway and had to settle for a 67.
That was one better than Woods, who roared into contention with three birdies in four holes from the 13th. That got him to within two of the lead but bogeys at 17 and 18 ended his challenge.
Fun
Mickelson said: "It was a fun front nine, but I made a terrible swing on 12. That was costly and missing the eagle putt on 15 certainly hurt."
Woods pinpointed his drive down the 17th as the moment it was over for him. "I was pretty much dead from there," he commented.
At the time Mickelson was the clubhouse leader at nine under but it was officially all over for him when Japan's Shingo Katayama birdied the last for a 68 and a 10 under finish, that eventually earned him fourth place on his own.
Graeme McDowell was the top finisher from across the pond after a poor week for the European contingent. The Northern Irishman shot a 69 to finish in a tie for 17th.
