9 Apr 2012

Watson wins US Masters for first time

2:09 pm on 9 April 2012

US golfer Bubba Watson has won the 76th Masters golf tournament at Augusta, beating South African Louis Oosthuizen on the second hole of a sudden death play off.

The pair finished the 72 holes at 10 under par but Watson made par on the second play off hole which Oosthuizen bogeyed.

Watson broke down in tears as the final putt dropped before embracing his caddie and mother, followed by friends.

He says simply tried to stay focused as he went into the final round.

"Just kept going, kept grinding it out, and somehow it went to a playoff.

"I don't know what happened (in) the rest, I was crying a little bit later, that's about it."

The win is Watson's first in a major and he is only the third left-hander to win the Masters.

Two strokes further back on 280 in a share of second place were Lee Westwood of England (68), Americans Matt Kuchar (69) and Phil Mickelson (72) and Peter Hanson of Sweden (73).