Patrick Reed held off the challenge of fellow Americans Rickie Fowler and Jordan Spieth to win the 2018 Masters and his first major title.
World No.24 Reed came into the final round with a three-shot advantage and was paired with Rory McIlroy on Masters Sunday. Golf fans around the world were hoping to see a shoot-out similar to their epic Ryder Cup battle of 2016.
However, the battle failed to materialise as McIlroy’s bid for a first Masters title - and a career major Grand Slam - faltered at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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After shooting a one-under round of 71, Reed finished the tournament on -15 - one shot clear of runner-up Fowler and two clear of Spieth in third place.
Spieth, the 2015 Masters winner, stormed into contention after shooting a final round of 64 - eight-under for the day. Had it not been for a bogey on the final hole he would have equalled the course record of 63 at Augusta.
For Reed, 27, he went to the 18th hole knowing a par would secure his first major. He two-putted the final hole and then celebrated his superb victory with his caddie and family.
After being handed the Green Jacket from last year’s winner Sergio Garcia, Reed said: “I knew it was going to be tough, any time you’re trying to close off a golf tournament is really hard, but to close off your first major and at place that is so close to your heart is even harder.
“I knew the lead would shrink at some times and the lead could grow at others, it’s just the flows of golf and you need to know how to handle it.
“The only way I felt I could get that done was make sure the putter was working. It was tough out there but to make those putts on 14 and two putts on 17 gave me momentum going to 18 which in past has given me so many issues. Needing a par on the last to win my first major just felt right.
“It’s impossible to put into words. Just to make the par on the last and watch it go in the hole and win my first major, end the drought of last year, get back on that winning circle and do it in the first major, it meant so much to me.”
2018 Masters final leaderboard
- -15 Patrick Reed (USA)
- -14 Rickie Fowler
- -13 Jordan Spieth (USA)
- -11 Jon Rahm
- -9 Cameron Smith
- -9 Bubba Watson
- -9 Henrik Stenson
- -9 Rory McIlroy
- -8 Marc Leishman
- -7 Tony Finau
- -7 Dustin Johnson
How Twitter reacted to Reed’s Masters victory at Augusta:
