Australia Day

Adam Scott's victory on the second play-off hole against Angel Cabrera at last month's Masters Tournament was a monumental achievement in this proud sporting county's history

Scott with his new piece of clothingWith Scott, Jason Day and Marc Leishman all in the top five at the beginning of Sunday’s final round, anticipation of a victory was high, but Australians have been down this path too many times to have anything more than conservative optimism. Like Scott and the other Aussies in the field, the nation grew up on a diet of early morning vigils supporting Greg Norman’s unfulfilled quest for a Green Jacket year after year – and they know better than to get ahead of themselves. Scott and Day, with Geoff Ogilvy, had been down this path themselves only two years ago and been cruelly pipped at the post by Charl Schwartzel.

Norman had burst on the scene with a tie for 4th in his first Masters in 1981, too long ago for Scott, Day et al to remember, but they were certainly around when Norman endured the ignominy of squandering a six-stroke lead to Nick Faldo in 1996, his third runner-up finish at Augusta following tragic near-misses in 1986 and 1987.

"Greg Norman inspired a nation of golfers," said Scott, "He was an icon in Australia, everything about the way he handled himself. He’s devoted so much time to myself and other young Australian golfers who came after him.

"Most of us would feel that he could have slipped a Green Jacket on for sure."

Fate was certainly on Scott’s side when his second shot at the par-5 13th hit short of the green and rolled back before clinging precariously on the bank of Rae’s Creek. He got up-and-down for the birdie that sparked his push for victory over the final six holes.

"I had no momentum on the day at that point," Scott said. "That was a great break. Even going down the 15th, I thought it was far away still. At 18, for a split second, let myself think I could have won. Then Angel hit an incredible shot."

Scott and Cabrera finished at nine-under-par 279, with Scott holing from 18 feet on the 72nd hole to take the lead and, seemingly, the win he had been craving his whole life. Cabrera had watched all of this unfold from the middle of the home hole fairway and responded with the mark of a champion, hitting a nerveless 8-iron approach to within three feet and holing the putt to force extra time.

This was the first time either had birdied the last hole of regulation hole in their Masters’ careers and with that, the Sunday spectacle at Augusta was truly alive after drizzling rain had put a bit of a dampener on proceedings in the early part of the day.

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