Updated 01.00
DANNY WILLETT HAS won the Masters after a back nine filled with sensational drama at Augusta National.
The Englishman shot a bogey-free 67 to win his first Major title a little more than week after the birth of his first child.
Willett finished three shots clear of Lee Westwood and defending champion Jordan Spieth, who looked on course to retain the green jacket with another wire-to-wire win before suffering one of the most spectacular collapses in tournament history.
World number two Spieth was in imperious form as he birdied four straight holes to lead by five shots at the turn.
But he dropped six shots in a sensational meltdown that blew the tournament wide open and opened the door for the biggest win of Willett’s career.
The Sheffield native, who started the week 12th in the world, becomes the first English winner since Nick Faldo’s third title in 1996 and the first European to wear the fabled green jacket since Jose Maria Olazabal 17 years ago.
Willett was the closest contender as Spieth turned for home in complete control, but the 22-year-old let his advantage slip with back-to-back bogeys at the 10th and the 11th.
Remarkably, he then put his tee shot — and his second ball – into the water at the 12th to make a quadruple bogey that effectively ended his chances.
“It was a very surreal day when I look back at the ebbs and flows,” Willett said.
“We kept gaining ground and Jordan kept pulling away. I was able to make a couple of good putts and here I am.”
Willett was not even going to play the Masters because his wife was due to give birth on Sunday, but she gave birth last week and he was able to come down Magnolia Lane for his date with destiny.
“You talk about fate and everything else that goes with it — it has ben a crazy week,” he added.
“I just put a couple of weak swings on it and suddenly I’m not leading anymore,” a devastated Spieth said afterwards.
“I’ll be disappointed with that one.
“It was a very tough 30 minutes for me. I hope I never experience it again.”
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– Additional reporting AFP
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