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At 21, Dallas’ Own Jordan Spieth Is Masters Champion, With Record-Tying Score

Erik Charlton
/
Wikimedia Commons

AUGUSTA, Ga. — The green jacket belongs to Jordan Spieth.

Spieth finished off the first wire-to-wire victory at the Masters since 1976 with a dominating four-stroke triumph Sunday. About the only thing that didn't go his way was the final hole, where he made a bogey to merely tie the tournament scoring record. Tiger Woods won his first green jacket in 1997 with an 18-under 270. Spieth matched that score with a closing 70.

It was a thoroughly dominating performance from start to finish. Spieth seized control with an 8-under 64, the best opening round at the Masters in 19 years. Perhaps it was only appropriate that Spieth finished off a wire-to-wire victory with another record. He set Masters scoring records for both 36 holes (14-under 130) and 54 holes (16-under 210).

Spieth also set a Masters record with 27 birdies, two more than Phil Mickelson's mark of 25 from 2001. Spieth had gone to the 16th hole with a four-stroke lead on Justin Rose and a five-shot edge on Mickelson.

Mickelson and Justin Rose tied for the runner-up spot. Rory McIlroy was six shots back. No one got closer than three shots throughout the final round.

Spieth reached unprecedented territory at the Masters early Sunday evening. With a birdie at the 15th hole, he became the first player in Augusta National history to get to 19-under par.

McIlroy made a charge late in the day, but it wasn’t nearly enough to get him into the mix. He was 5 under on the day hearing to the final hole, still eight shots out of the lead. Woods was never a factor, doomed by some wild shots off the tee. He was even for the round and 13 shots behind Spieth.

Spieth became the first Masters champion to lead after every round since Raymond Floyd 39 years ago, and only the fifth in the history of the tournament.

And it was a bit of redemption after he played in the final group a year ago making his Augusta debut, building a two-shot lead but fading to a runner-up finish behind Bubba Watson. (AP)