In a stellar field comprising of the 14-time major winner, Tiger Woods and a number of former champions, Patrick Reed was the last man standing and fiery Texan held his nerve down the stretch, holding off a spirited surge from his compatriot Jordan Spieth to clinch his first major title at the Masters in Augusta and etch his name into the history of this great tournament.
Reed stood firm from day one, responding commendably to Spieth’s miraculous charge to land the green jacket on the final day. Reed produced a brand of golf that reinforced his reputation as one of the gutsiest competitors on tour.
Rory McIlroy who was in the second place going into the final day and was expected to give Reed a run for the title simple fade away, out of nowhere comes Jordan Spieth to fight Reed for the title. Spieth kept coming through. The 2015 winner, looking like a man possessed, screamed to the turn in 31 before lighting it up on the back nine. He sunk a monstrous putt at 12 for birdie, followed it up with a tremendous birdie at the par-5 13th. Parring 14, he kept it going with another birdie at 15 before he sent the gallery into hysterics at 16, tramlining a nerveless put for his ninth birdie of the day.
It would have been a brave man to bet against him at that point but, clattering his drive into the trees at 18, Spieth proved he was human when he missed his par putt to leave him in the clubhouse at -13 after a closing 64.
Rickie Fowler, determined not to be the bridesmaid in the majors once more, displayed tremendous courage, too, launching a dart into the 18th, sinking the putt to leapfrog Spieth into second.
Reed refused to give in. The 27-year-old sunk his par putt at 17 to ensure he walked up the last hole with the lead. At 18, with unbearable tension pervading the atmosphere, Reed fired his second to the left edge of the green, leaving him a devilishly quick putt down the slope. He had two putts to win and needed both of them, staying cool to sink the return effort and become a Masters winner.
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