Bubba Watson receives the green jacket from 2011 winner Charl Schwartzel of South Africa.
Bubba dons the green jacket —
Bubba Watson receives the green jacket from 2011 winner Charl Schwartzel of South Africa.
Bubba Watson made his move with four straight birdies on the back nine.
Bubba's birdie burst —
Bubba Watson made his move with four straight birdies on the back nine.
Louis Oosthuizen celebrates his double eagle from the second fairway in the final round of the Masters at Augusta National.
Oosthuizen's dramatic double eagle —
Louis Oosthuizen celebrates his double eagle from the second fairway in the final round of the Masters at Augusta National.
Phil Mickelson watches his shot from the rough at the fourth on the way to a triple bogey.
Mickelson halted by triple bogey —
Phil Mickelson watches his shot from the rough at the fourth on the way to a triple bogey.
Tiger Woods continued to struggle in the final round with a two-over-par 74 to finish five-over.
Tiger's troubles continue —
Tiger Woods continued to struggle in the final round with a two-over-par 74 to finish five-over.
Bubba Watson wins Masters after playoff at Augusa

He prevailed in a thrilling two-hole playoff to capture his first Masters championship. Now Bubba Watson prepares for The Piers Morgan interview! Watch on CNN at 9 p.m. ET Tuesday.

Story highlights

Bubba Watson wins the 76th U.S. Masters at Augusta for his first major title

American beats South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen at second hole of playoff

Lee Westwood, Matt Kuchar, Peter Hanson and Phil Mickelson tied for third

Pre-event favorites Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy finish 15 shots back

CNN  — 

Bubba Watson won the 76th U.S. Masters as he beat South African Louis Oosthuizen at the second hole of a sudden death playoff at Augusta National on Sunday.

Watson, who won his first major title, played a remarkable recovery shot from the trees at the 10th to find the green.

Oosthuizen, the 2010 British Open champion, saw his par putt miss to leave his American opponent with two shots to take the title.

Golf.com: Watson’s magnificent shot

The 33-year-old Watson rolled his first to within six inches before completing the task, bursting into tears as he embraced his mother, Mollie, by the side of the green.

“I never got this far in my dreams,” said Watson as he prepared to don the famous green jacket, won last year by Oosthuizen’s fellow South African Charl Schwartzel.

Watson and his wife have recently adopted their first child and he added: “To go home to my new son is going to be fun.”

The playoff pair had finished tied at 10-under 278 in regulation play, as Watson produced a burst of four straight birdies on the back nine to draw level with his playing partner.

Oosthuizen had taken control of the tournament when he holed his second shot at the par-5 second hole for a remarkable three-under-par double-eagle, only the fourth in the history of the Masters.

Oosthuizen makes history on No. 2

But he mixed two bogeys with two birdies to give Watson the chance to force a playoff, his second in a major after losing to Martin Kaymer of Germany at the 2010 U.S. PGA Championship.

First-round leader Lee Westwood of England, home pair Matt Kuchar and Phil Mickelson, and overnight leader Peter Hanson of Sweden finished tied for third at eight-under 280.

Mickelson’s challenge was disrupted by a triple bogey six at the short fourth and he was never able to get on terms in search of his fourth Masters crown as he finished with a level-par 72.

Hanson also struggled early in his round before a late rally.

Up ahead, world No. 3 Westwood, once again immaculate from tee to green, carded a four-under 68 to set the clubhouse pace in search of his first major crown and was joined on that mark by local favorite Kuchar.

But Oosthuizen and Watson kept their nerve, parring both the 17th and 18th to stay locked together at 10 under par to go into the extra holes.

Two of the pre-tournament favorites, Tiger Woods and Northern Ireland’s world No. 2 Rory McIlroy, finished tied together at five over, 15 shots adrift after final rounds of 74 and 76 respectively.