Justine Rose happy to lose to Sergio

Garcia hopes to capture the green jacket symbolic of Masters supremacy on what would have been the 60th birthday of his idol Seve Ballesteros, a two-time Masters victor and three-time British Open champion who died of brain cancer in 2011 at age 54.

Finally! Sergio Garcia won his first major PGA tournament, and it only took him 18 years of trying.

All that changed in dramatic fashion on Sunday when he came out on top in a thrilling final-round duel with Justin Rose, a birdie on the first play-off hole making Garcia the third Spanish victor of the Masters – and on what would have been the 60th birthday of two-time champion Seve Ballesteros for good measure.

The younger contingent could not challenge the 37-year-old Garcia and the 36-year-old Rose, who have been contemporaries for over 20 years in various golf competitions. Garcia said. “I’ve had so many good chances and either I lost them or someone has done something extraordinary to beat me”. “I felt the calmest I ever felt in a major”. “I am so happy”. His rally took off on Saturday with five birdies on a 10-hole stretch for a 68 to leave him just two back heading into the final round.

Rose felt the turning point came on the 13th, when he held a two-shot lead and saw Garcia’s pulled drive end up beneath an azalea bush. Mickelson went on to three more bogeys for a front side 39 and could not get much going the rest of the way to finish with a 2-over 74.

Garcia’s idol and two-time Masters champion Seve Ballesteros would have turned 60 on Sunday.

Garcia said he thought of the late Seve Ballesteros while overcoming setbacks that would have derailed his less confident self.

Even if he never wins another tournament, in many ways, Sergio’s career has been validated. But after a wedge and a steely par-saving putt from Garcia, Rose missed a six-foot birdie attempt and what looked like a possible four-shot lead instead was just two. He said, ‘I’m not sharing my locker at the moment, and I hope that I get to do it with you’. Rose then doubled up by being unable to save par on the green.

Last-group playing partners and friends Garcia and Rose were level for the lead at the start of what become a tension-packed thrill ride of a final round. But I’m not going to sit here and second-guess a few shots.

In his crisp, new green jacket with the Augusta National logo, the 2017 victor turned to one of the Masters officials: “So if you guys wouldn’t mind putting me with Jose, it would be great”.

Spieth stopped each time the huge gallery shouted while Garcia and Rose putted out. His second shot hit the pin and bounced near enough for him to sink the eagle putt. “I’m sure he helped a little bit with some of those shots or some of those putts”.

Rose hit his tee shot in the playoff well right of the fairway, striking the trees.

South African Charl Schwartzel, the 2011 Masters victor, was third on 282 with American Matt Kuchar and Belgian Thomas Pieters sharing fourth on 283.

He said: If there’s anyone to lose to, it’s Sergio.

There can be little doubt that after going so close, so often Garcia’s victory is well-deserved.

That proved another momentum swinger as Garcia rediscovered his early crisp iron striking to set up birdie at 14, before a brilliant approach with his second at the par-five 15th – that seemed to nick the flag – was followed with a cool, dead-weight putt for eagle.