Magical Masters

Phil Mickelson secured his third Masters crown as he claimed a victory over Lee Westwood on a memorable final day and after a magical four days at Augusta National where the old atmosphere and magic returned in abundance to the famous home of the year's first Major.

Mickelson became the thrill-maker once again on Sunday, pouncing for a third Masters victory in seven years to leave Westwood still seeking his first major.

Champion at Augusta in 2004 and 2006 and with a US PGA title in between, Mickelson put a dreadful start to the season behind him to win by three shots from the Englishman - with a 16 under par total of 272.

Westwood, unable to hold onto the last day lead, already had third place finishes in the US Open, The Open and US PGA, but now he has come third, third and second in the last three majors. A one under 71 was never likely to complete the job and, sure enough, Mickelson shot a bogey-free 67 and then went into one of the longest televised hugs with wife Amy. And no wonder. Last May she was diagnosed with breast cancer and her battle goes on. This was her first visit to a tournament since the diagnosis.

Although Tiger Woods equalled a Masters record with four eagles in his first tournament back after an almost five-month absence, two of them came in his rollercoaster closing 69 for joint fourth place - the headlines will go quite rightly to the left-hander.

This week began as the week Woods came back to golf, but it ended as the week when Mickelson proved again he is the world number one's biggest rival.

With a pink breast cancer badge in his cap to remind people of the battles both his wife and mother have been fighting, Mickelson captured his fourth major in scintillating fashion. Two shots in particular will stay etched in memory and will be replayed over again as part of Masters history from now on - his holed wedge shot on the 14th in the third round for an eagle put him in the tournament; and an early contender for shot of the year was his spectacular approach from the pine straw on the 13th to about four feet in the final round when it seemed certain that a lay-up was the only shot on! Truly magnificent and a reminder that great champions rise to the occasion when it really matters.

Afterwards the new champion said: "It feels incredible. I could go on and on, so many reasons why, and it's the most amazing feeling. This has been a special day, something I will always cherish. It's been an emotional year and I am very proud of my wife and the fight and struggle she has been through."

For Westwood, he just needs to keep on doing what he is doing and one of these days the door is going to open. If he can keep his form going, there is no reason why he should take anything other than positives from this tournament. Pebble Beach and the US Open in June may prove to be his time.

Woods, who mixed his two eagles and four birdies with five bogeys struggled to find any sort of consistency in his game. As the week went on he seemed to hit the ball worse and for any other player in the field that would result in him slipping down the leaderboard and off the radar very quickly indeed. But this is Tiger and he hung in there, even until the 15th on Sunday where a rush of blood and a three-putt finally knocked the stuffing out of his challenge.

Fourth, of course, was no mean feat given his lay-off and all the attention on his scandal-hit personal life.

But the week and the plaudits belong to Mickelson, and rightly so. He joins Jimmy Demaret, Sam Snead, Nick Faldo and Gary Player on three Masters titles with only Tiger Woods and Arnold Palmer (four) and Jack Nicklaus (six) ahead of them.

An exclusive club I think you'll agree and with four Majors in total now to his name he is rapidly climbing the list of the all-time great players; he took his time to get going and the first Major took its time to arrive, something that Westwood, the current 'best player not to have won a Major' can take heart in!