With a long putter that looks as peculiar as a Shawn Marion jump shot, Adam Scott sank a 12-foot birdie to defeat Angel Cabrera on the second playoff hole at Augusta National to claim his first major championship victory. The win also made Scott the first Australian to win The Masters.
Scott's Masters victory comes on the heels of his collapse at last year's British Open, however, Scott's Tour profile has grown since hiring Steve Williams to caddie for him in 2011.
Even when Tiger Woods doesn't win a tournament he finds a way to sneak into the central storyline. It's been five years and counting since Tiger Woods has won a major, but his former caddie Steve Williams has been invaluable for Scott.
Meanwhile, Williams could have come in handy for Woods during his flubbed drop on the 15th hole, which led to his two-stroke penalty. Woods finished 5-under par and struggled with his putting on the Tiger-proofed greens.
"I had a hard time getting accustomed to the speed," said Woods. "Every putt I left short for probably the first eight holes."
Norman and a chorus of golfers were extremely vocal about Woods' need to withdraw from The Masters. Without that penalty, Woods would have been in the hunt with Cabrera, Jason Day and Scott on the back nine. Caddies may seem like background extras, but Woods may need Williams likeevery great athletes needs a great coach.
Via SB Nation:
“It's just great for me to know that you've got a rock on the bag next to you,” Scott told reporters Saturday about the benefits of having Williams beside him for Sunday’s finale. “He's solid.”
Last year's champ Bubba Watson finished 7-over par. 14-year-old Tianlan Guan finished five strokes behind Watson at 12-over par.
