Going into Sunday at the 81st Masters, there were four golfers everyone believed had the best chance to win. Sergio Garcia was seeking his first major and third Masters win by a Spaniard. Justin Rose was seeking his second major and first Masters. jordan spieth was chasing his 3rd major and trying to become the youngest ever to win two Masters. Rickie Fowler was also seeking his first major.
The Masters winner: Sergio Garcia
Your Masters winner in 2017, in a thrilling final round duel, is Spain's Sergio Garcia. Garcia made two bogeys to start the back nine and looked like he was on the verge of once again unraveling in a major.
However, Garcia stayed calm, made birdie on 14 and then made an eagle on 15 to pull even with Justin Rose. Rose would birdie 16 to take the lead back, but then make bogey on 17. On the 18th hole Rose and Garcia both missed birdie putts that would have won the tournament. This led to the 17th playoff in Masters history, in which Garcia made birdie on the first playoff hole to win. Fittingly enough Garcia's win came on what would have been Spanish golfing legend Seve Ballesteros' 60th birthday.
Sergio achieved his first major win following 73 previous failed attempts, which fittingly enough came on the 73rd hole. He also won the Masters on his 19th attempt, the most ever before a player won the event.
Garcia also became the first Masters winner to have an eagle on the back nine since fellow Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal in 1994.
Those age predictions were a mixed bag
Prior to the tournament starting I did some predictions on which players had the best chance at winning the Masters solely based on their age. World number one Dustin Johnson never got a chance to compete in the major after injuring himself in a freak accident the day before the event.
Rafael Cabrera-Bello shot +8 and Jhonattan Vegas shot +10, as they both missed the cut. Martin Kaymer shot even par, finishing tied for sixteenth. Charl Schwartzel performed the best, shooting -6 and finishing in third place.
Ernie Els' last Masters?
For 47-year-old South African and four-time major winner Ernie Els, this was possibly his last walk through Augusta National.
Els made the cut to see the Masters weekend, but had an 83-78 to finish at +20 for the tournament and finished in last place among players who made the cut.
This was the last year of his five-year exemption that he received from winning the 2012 British Open. After this year Els can no longer play in the Masters, unless he wins a PGA tour event or places among the top in one of the year's final three majors. Following his finish, Els reflected fondly on his run of 23 Masters appearances, saying, "How many people get to play here 23 times?" (ESPN).
