Sergio Garcia celebrates Masters victory he thought would never come

No one had ever participated in so many major tournaments as a professional - before signing a first victory.

Sergio Garcia ended almost two decades of major heartbreak when he beat Justin Rose in a playoff to win the US Masters yesterday on what would have been the 60th birthday of his hero, the late Seve Ballesteros. When the 12-footer dropped for birdie, he fell into a deep crouch and let out several loud screams, blowing kisses to a roaring gallery at the 18th green, punching the putting surface and finally hugging fiancée Angela Akins.

"Everybody that is around me is helping me, making me not only a better golfer but a better person", Garcia said. "It's been an awesome week, and I'm going to enjoy it for the rest of my life". Rose seemed ready to carry the knockout blow to the 13th hole, a normal-5, when Garcia sent his tee shot to the plants to the left of the alley. I felt in control until the end. "Even after the two bogeys, I knew I could still do it".

Major heartbreak was knocking on Sergio Garcia's door again. "But you know, I really feel like this is a tournament that I can still go on to win". When his drive sailed into the bushes at No. 13, forcing him to take a one-shot penalty, who didn't think it was a prelude to a meltdown?

"I mean, I can't pick holes in my performance". Maybe it's something psychological.

"It's a contrary little putt, I feel".

But I'm not sure any of my previous 10 Masters visits will stand out in my mind 10 years down the road quite like the most recent one. Then Rose birdied his way back into a tie.

All that mattered was Garcia and Rose, who delivered a final hour as compelling as any at the Masters and a champion who began to wonder if he would ever win a major.

Then the Spaniard mellowed in his 30s, content with being a Ryder Cup hero and resigned to the fact he might never win a major championship. The interview room inside the media center harkens me back to the first time I saw Arnold Palmer in person and shook his amazingly large hand.

I loved watching them battle.

I was lucky enough to cover this incredible event for the 11th time this week, and each year I add a few new pages to my memory notebook.

Garcia's legion of fans around the world surely feared another nightmare ending, but this time there was a happy ending for the Spaniard.

With positive memories from his first major title here two years ago and picture-perfect conditions, Spieth was eager to embrace the challenge of moving up the leaderboard. Yet they displayed admirable sportsmanship multiple times, congratulating each other each time they made brilliant shots.

"That little two-shot swing there was kind of when he was back in the tournament", Rose said.

Garcia, 37, finally brought Spain a second Masters Cup after his compatriot Jose Maria Olazabal achieved the first one in 1999, reports Efe.

They were on level terms two holes later after Garcia nearly made an albatross at the par-five 15th, his eight-iron second landing inches short of the hole before brushing the pin and trickling 14 feet away, from where he made his eagle putt, the ball teetering on the edge of the cup before toppling in.

This was shaping up as another, especially after Garcia watched a three-shot lead disappear as quickly as it took Rose to run off three straight birdies on the front nine.

After opening up a three-shot lead through five holes, he was swiftly pegged back by Rose.

Seve Ballesteros would have turned 60 on Sunday. Garcia told to Jim Nantz on CBS after the win. "Obviously I hit two great shots and a wonderful putt to finish with".