Dustin Johnson claimed a sensational five shot victory at the 84th Masters Tournament, smashing the record for the lowest winning score at Augusta National Golf Club on his way to securing a first Green Jacket.
The World Number One had an early scare on Sunday as his four shot overnight lead was reduced to a single stroke in the space of five holes after he followed up a birdie at the third with back to back bogeys on the fourth and fifth, giving the chasing pack hope.
But he steadied the ship with two more birdies on the front nine before reeling off a hat-trick of gains from the 13th to finish the tournament on 20 under par - the lowest score ever seen at the Masters by two shots.
Johnson's victory sees him add a second Major Championship title to his CV, having won the U.S. Open Championship in 2016.
Australian Cameron Smith and South Korean Sungjae Im finished in a tie for second on 15 under, with Justin Thomas three shots further back in fourth.
Smith set a landmark of his own, signing for a closing 69 to become the only player in Masters history to shoot four straight rounds in the 60s, following previous scores of 67, 68 and 69.
Johnson made a shaky start, hitting his opening tee shot into a fairway bunker, but managed to find the green with his approach and safely two putted from 31 feet for par.
That did not appear to settle his nerves, though, as he sent his third shot into a greenside bunker at the long second, but he was able to get up and down for a valuable par.
By the time Johnson reached the third green, his lead had been reduced to two shots as Smith made birdies at the second and third to get to 14 under.
But the American curled in from 12 feet on the third to move to 17 under par and go three clear.
Johnson came up short of the green on the par three fourth and three putted from the fringe to drop his first shot of the day before a second successive bogey allowed his playing partner Im to close the gap to a single shot.
But the 36-year-old came up with the ideal response, sending his tee shot at the par three sixth to seven feet before rolling in for a birdie to return to 16 under.
Leader Dustin Johnson birdies No. 6 and is now 16 under par. #themasters pic.twitter.com/nySvu1bwnV
— The Masters (@TheMasters) November 15, 2020
Johnson made a good up-and-down from a bunker on the seventh before slotting in another birdie from around five feet at the eighth to get to 17 under and move three clear once more.
Smith produced a magnificent second shot from among the trees on the ninth to make an unlikely birdie and close the gap to two strokes.
Johnson clearly understood the importance of his par save from around four feet at the 11th as he let out a muted celebration in the form of a fist pump.
Johnson got back on the birdie trail as he holed from 13 feet at the long 13th to move to 18 under.
Another gain followed at the 14th, with Johnson lifting his approach to six feet before rolling in his birdie putt.
Johnson then made it three in a row with a seven foot birdie at the long 15th, before safely parring his way home.
There were emotional scenes on the 18th green as he was congratulated by his brother and caddie Austin Johnson and his partner Paulina Gretzky after rolling in his close range par putt.
A dream come true. I’ll remember this day at @TheMasters for the rest of my life. #themasters pic.twitter.com/jUCYsXFCIG
— Dustin Johnson (@DJohnsonPGA) November 15, 2020
Speaking in the Butler Cabin after winning the first Masters ever to be played in November, Johnson said: "It’s always tough to get it done in a Major. No matter how good you’re playing, it’s hard.
“I was nervous all day. I could feel it. The Masters to me is the biggest tournament, it’s the one I wanted to win the most.
“I’m just very proud of the way I handled myself and the way I finished off the golf tournament.
“Honestly it still feels like a dream. As a kid, dreaming about winning the Masters, having Tiger put the Green Jacket on you, it still seems like it’s a dream but I’m here and what a great feeling it is and I couldn’t be more excited.
"It's unbelievable having my brother on my bag. But he's a big help too.
"He reads the greens a lot for me. He does a great job reading them. I read them too myself but he definitely helps. He's really good at it.
"I just love experiencing all these moments with him. I wouldn't want it any other way."
