Maple leaf stands out at the Augusta golfing greens

Mattiace failed to get down in a further three shots and Weir, who had found the centre of the green with his second, had the luxury of three putts for the green jacket in a tournament squeezed into three days after Thursday’s play was washed out.

Both players had completed the regulation 72 holes at Augusta National on seven-under-par 281, Weir closing with a 68 and Mattiace with a best-of-the-day 65, as Tiger Woods’s hopes for an unprecedented third consecutive title disappeared.

A jubilant Weir, who led the rain-hit tournament at the halfway point, became the first left-hander to win a major since New Zealander Bob Charles triumphed at the 1963 British Open, and only the second in golfing history.

“It’s something I have dreamed about all my life, but I have a tough time putting it all into words right now,” said Weir, who had never previously finished in the top 10 at a Major.

“To go bogey-free at Augusta on a Sunday, I can’t ask for anything more.

“I was hoping some day this (the Masters title) would be the first one (major). I couldn’t have asked to play much better,” he added, having secured his third victory of the year in nine starts.

Phil Mickelson, after a 68, finished third at Augusta for the third year running while Woods, who had been chasing his ninth career major, battled to a 75, and had to settle for a share of 15th at two-over 290.

The 35-year-old Mattiace, who missed the cut in his only previous Masters appearance in 1988, set up his victory hopes with a superb eagle at the par-five 13th, and then birdied 15 and 16 before bogeying the last.

But, almost immediately, Weir holed a five-foot birdie putt at the 500-yard 15th to draw level with Mattiace at the top of the leaderboard, and parred the final three holes to force the playoff. (Reuters)