Adam Scott becomes first Australian to win The Masters

Adam Scott breaks a string of ducks for Australians at the Masters by beating Angel “The Duck” Cabrera at second playoff hole.

The golf gods convene annually to watch and control the final round of The Masters. They have an uncanny knack of writing a good script with more twists and turns than an old Alfred Hitchcock movie.

They’ve provided us with some much-loved heroes, victorious bad guys and a smattering of underdog winners such as Bubba Watson, Mike Weir and lest we Aussies forget, Larry Mize.

Gods only know why, but they’ve often chosen an Australian as the fall guy for what I can only describe as a series of macabre stories – not some of their best work.

But today, the gods changed their formula.

Adam Scott’s approach to the par-5 13th found the front edge of the green and rolled back towards the water hazard.

In the past, the gods would have gladly allowed this one to roll in. On this occasion, they chose to stop the ball and Scott was awarded a chip and putt for a birdie.

Only minutes after, Jason Day sprayed his drive into the trees on the right-hand side of the par-5 15th hole. An earlier version of this movie would see it finish behind one of the pines. But this story took a wicked turn.

The ball ricocheted off the base of a pine and out into the middle of the fairway. Day went on to make birdie and briefly held the outright lead.

Australian viewers thought they were watching a Masters re-run when Day made bogeys at the 16th and 17th to blow his lead. Cabrera made a magnificent birdie at the par-3 16th.

The gods then had a twist up their sleeves.

Cabrera’s birdie putt on the 17th hole went within a pine needle of dropping in for the outright lead, as did Jason Day’s birdie putt on the 18th who finished the tournament at 7-under par and third place.

Adam Scott’s drive on the final hole pulled up before the bunker and he played a great approach shot to give himself a birdie opportunity.

If you’ve ever seen a putt lip out, then this was a lip in.

Scott’s putt looked destined to miss on the left-hand side but it caught the edge and went in, sending Scott, caddie Steve Williams and the whole of Australia into a collective frenzy.

However, the gods weren’t done with this script. They had one magnificent final act to play out.

Cabrera looked despondent as he saw Scott’s putt roll in but with the poise of a former Masters champion, El Pato knocked his approach to three-feet, birdie followed and the stage was set for the final shootout.

The first hole of the playoff, the par-4 18th came down to a chip off with both players’ approach shots finishing short of the green.

Scott and Cabrera both made par after the Argentinian went within a whisker of birdie as his chip shot shaved the hole.

Any other year, any other script and that chip would have fallen in for birdie.

The drama went to the 10th hole where both players found the fairway off the tee. Cabrera was first to play and gave himself a 20-foot birdie putt that once again, went within a couple of pine needles of dropping in.

Scott was left with a 12 foot downhill birdie putt to win. In the dying light with light rain falling, Scott was unsure of the break. Williams, who had been in this situation before and had seen this putt many times assured him it was a two-cup break to the left.

Scott rolled the putt on this line and it fell in the hole.

The shackles are off, the script has changed and finally, an Australian has won The Masters.

Adam Scott. 2013 Masters champion!