* American left-hander claims first major title
* Edges out Oosthuizen at second extra hole
* Woods exits with worst Masters finish as a pro
(Adds detail, quotes)
By Mark Lamport-Stokes
April 8 (Reuters) – American Bubba Watson conjured a
miraculous par from pine straw to become only the third
left-hander to win the Masters with an emotional playoff victory
over Louis Oosthuizen at Augusta National on Sunday.
Watson clinched his first major title with a two-putt par on
the second extra hole, the par-four 10th, where South African
Oosthuizen bogeyed after ending up just short of the green in
two and failing to get up and down.
Both players had ended up well right off the tee, Oosthuizen
gaining a fortuitous bounce off a tree before playing his second
shot from the first cut of rough.
Although the long-hitting Watson ended up deep in the tree
line, he had an avenue to the green and struck a superb high
draw off the pine straw for his ball to settle 10 feet from the
pin.
After Oosthuizen had chipped up 15 feet past and narrowly
missed his par putt coming back, Watson had the luxury of two
putts for victory.
Continued…
