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AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Sergio Garcia finally showed he has what it takes to win a major, and he has a green jacket to prove it.
Needing his best golf on just about every shot in the final hour at the Masters, Garcia overcame a two-shot deficit with six holes to play and beat Justin Rose in a sudden-death playoff Sunday for his first major after nearly two decades of heartache.
No one ever played more majors as a pro — 70 — before winning a major for the first time.
Garcia got rid of the demons and the doubts with two big moments on the par 5s — one a par, the other an eagle — in closing with a 3-under 69. It was never easy until the end, when Rose sent his drive into the trees on the 18th hole in the playoff, punched out and failed to save par from 15 feet.
That gave the 37-year-old Spaniard two putts from 12 feet for the victory, and his putt swirled into the cup.
"Ser-gee-oh! Ser-gee-oh!" the delirious gallery chanted to Garcia, who couldn't contain his emotion.
Rose lovingly patted Garcia's cheek before they embraced. Garcia turned with arms to his side, blew a kiss to the crowd and then crouched down and slammed his fist into the turf of the green.
"If there's anyone to lose to, it's Sergio. He deserves it," Rose said. "He's had his fair share of heartbreak."
But he ended it well enough.
Summerhays’ eagle on the par-5, 510-yard 13th hole paced a 1-over-par 73 final round, and the Farmington native finished with a four-day total of 9-over 297 for 46th place in the tournament.
The two-time Utah State Amateur winner finished the front nine with back-to-back birdies to shoot even-par 36 going into his final turn, and his approach shot on the 13th hole trickled set up an eagle putt to go below par.
Summerhays finished with consecutive bogeys on the 16th and 17th holes, but walks away from his first appearance having survived the cut and likely to move up from his current No. 88 position in the World Golf Rankings.
Masters 2017: Daniel Summerhays | 13th Hole, Round 4 pic.twitter.com/ZTNv5PrUFp
— Masters Highlights (@MastersMoments) April 9, 2017
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