Watson secures Masters title with play-off win over Oosthuizen

11^th April 2012

Derek Baker

Derek Baker

11 April 2012

American Bubba Watson triumphed in a two-hole play-off with South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen to secure the Masters and the prestigious Green Jacket.

The pair were tied after the final round of 18 holes on ten under, with Oosthuizen shooting a 69, and Watson a 68.

However, in the play-off, with both players carding a four on the 18th, the duo went to the 10th where both players mishit their tee shots. And despite the 2010 US Open champion’s attempted recovery, a magnificent shot from beneath the tries, reminiscent of Phil Mickelson’s at Augusta two years ago, secured victory for Watson and won him his first ever major.

Reduced to tears after his winning putt, the 33-year-old stated he had “never dreamed” of winning, for a player whose left-handed style is unorthodox, but effective.

He called it “Bubba Golf”, and if there was a way of winning this year’s Masters, Bubba Golf certainly was the right way.

Oosthuizen can count himself a little unlucky though, after making history himself, on the second hole. He holed an albatross, the fourth ever at the Masters, the first to be televised and the first ever at that hole.

The final day was a day that produced some incredible highlights.

Bo Van Pelt sinked a hole-in-one on the par three 16th, on his way to an impressive 64, whilst Adam Scott surged his way up the leaderboard with an ace on the same hole shortly after and finished with a round of 66 to finished tied eighth.

Englishman, Lee Westwood, finished very close once again, however his putting let him down, so he ended joint third, two shots of the leading twosome, whilst a resurgent Mickelson carded a triple-bogey on the par three fourth, which almost certainly ended all hopes for the American.

Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods, both touted as favourites before the event, both finished at five over for the tournament, so both will be trying to forget the dreadful week they have had; whilst some big names faltered however, others did prevail.

And the man to come out on top of it all was Bubba. He received a welcoming standing ovation at the end and was given the Green Jacket by 2011 champion, Charl Schwartzel.

Watson and the other competitors will now focus on recovering, and trying to find their rhythm in time for golf’s next major tournament, the US Open, which will be held at the Olympic Club in San Francisco, California, between 14th and 17th June.

Derek Baker