Charl Schwartzel claims Masters title as Rory McIlroy suffers final-day collapse

Schwartzel, 26, grabbed his first major title after yet another amazing day of high drama that saw Tiger Woods charge into a share of the lead and McIlroy, four clear overnight, collapse to an 80.

The 21-year-old's suffering was the biggest last-day collapse in a major since Jean Van de Velde blew it from five clear at Carnoustie in 1999, when Paul Lawrie famously won the Open.

Three years before that, of course, Greg Norman was six in front at Augusta and with a nightmare 78 lost by five to Nick Faldo.

Now McIlroy's name will, for the time being at least, be grouped with theirs. He finished only 15th, an incredible ten shots behind.

In contrast, Schwartzel shot a best-of-the-day 66 to beat Adam Scott and Jason Day by two and their fellow Australian Geoff Ogilvy, Woods and England's Luke Donald by four.

Schwartzel chipped in at the first, pitched in for an eagle at the third and then, behind once again after playing the next 11 in one over, closed with a staggering four successive birdies.

He got up and down from just over the 15th, made 15-footers on the next two greens and, with two for it at the last, converted an 18-foot putt to end the week 14 under par. "It was such an exciting day," said Schwartzel, reflecting on a final round that saw the lead change hands no fewer than 15 times. There were so many roars and the atmosphere was just incredible. It was just a phenomenal day – I was getting tight coming down the 15th and I needed to do something."

A front-nine 37 was bad enough for McIlroy, but such was his overnight advantage that he was still leading as he entered the famed inward half and endured horror upon horror.

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First a triple bogey seven on the 10th, where his hooked drive hit a tree and rebounded in between the cabins way left of the fairway and not far from the tee. He needed a wood for his third, went left again and then hit another tree with his pitch. Even with a bogey on the next he was still in it, but that was his first three-putt and at the short 12th, his mind seemingly scrambled, he four-putted for a double bogey and dropped another at the long 15th.

"I hit a poor tee shot on ten and sort of unravelled from there," he said, still looking shell-shocked minutes after signing a card he wished could be thrown away. I'm very disappointed at the minute and I'm sure I will be for the next few days, but I've got to take the positives – I was leading for 63 holes.

"I will have plenty more chances I know and hopefully it will build a bit of character in me as well.

"I can't really put my finger on it, but I lost a lot of confidence with my putting." For three days it had looked like McIlroy would becomes a major champion at a younger age than some of the greats of the game.

Although Woods got there before him – by only eight months – Jack Nicklaus and Seve Ballesteros were a year older when they broke through, Gary Player 23, Tom Watson 25, Arnold Palmer 28, Faldo and Sam Snead 30 and Ben Hogan 34.

Now McIlroy must try again and the world will wait to see what damage this has done to the Northern Ireland player labelled a boy wonder almost from the day he first picked up a club.

Woods and Ogilvy threatened to stage the third biggest comeback in Masters history as they charged from seven back.

It was Woods – still without a victory for 17 months and now 21 events, of course – who first took the noise level up several notches.

He birdied the second and third and then came back from a three-putt bogey at the short fourth with further birdies at the sixth and seventh and then a 10-foot eagle putt after two marvellous shots into the uphill 570-yard eighth.

A miraculous par save from pine straw and then a bunker at the ninth meant the opportunity was there for him to end his drought.

But it was not to be. He three-putted again on the 12th, missing only from three feet, and missed a four-putt eagle effort he desperately needed three holes later.

Ogilvy joined him with a brilliant five successive birdies from the 12th and two closing putts, and then Donald chipped in at the last for ten under as well – and that after hitting the flagstick with his approach from the edge of the fairway bunker.

No winner of Wednesday's par three competition has gone on to take the main event four days later and Donald failed to end the jinx as he hoped.

Going in the water for a double bogey at the 12th when he was two behind was what he called the "killer blow," adding: "It was probably my one bad swing – a push with a nine-iron and I paid the penalty.

"I dug deep (with birdies at the 13th, 15th and 16th], but unfortunately I've come up short."

Argentina's 2009 winner Angel Cabrera and Korean KJ Choi held a share of top spot, but made costly mistakes.

So attention focused on the battle between Scott, Schwartzel and Day.

Scott led on his own when he birdied the 14th and a tee shot to 18 inches at the 16th moved him closer to becoming Australia's first winner.

But while playing partner Day closed with two birdies, Scott parred them and well though he had played for a 67 – Day shot 68 – it was not enough.

So Schwartzel, a stablemate of McIlroy, proved to be the one who gave European Tour members their first-ever clean sweep of the majors.

And instead of Northern Ireland having two of the current four major champions it is South Africa. Louis Oosthuizen, of course, took The Open last summer.

Yesterday's success came on the 50th anniversary of Gary Player becoming the first international player to win the Masters. "I am absolutely delighted for Charl and South Africa. Congratulations and very well done to him. That is how you finish like a champion!" Player said on Twitter last night.

Schwartzel is up from 29th to a career-high 11th in the world after his Masters triumph.

The new world rankings were released at the end of the tournament. German Martin Kaymer, who missed the cut at the weekend after another poor showing at Augusta, stays No 1, while fourth-placed Luke Donald moves back above Phil Mickelson into third and Woods jumps aheads of Graeme McDowell and Paul Casey again into fifth.

Bookmakers said last night that they were delighted with Schwartzel's triumph, with Ladbrokes claiming it saved them from a huge six-figure payout.

The South African defied top priced odds of 100/1 to win which was great news for the firm who had laid Woods before the tournament as well as in running at all rates with his comeback looking a real possibility on the final day.

Woods now earns a 6/1 quote for the Open with Schwartzel 50/1. Alex Donohue of Ladbrokes said: "We were quaking in our boots when Tiger looked like he was roaring back to win but thankfully it wasn't to be.

Schwartzel was a fantastic result for us despite laying some decent each way bets about Woods & Donald and with turnover as high as it was we can't complain overall."

It ended up being a day of 'what might have been' for Australia. When Scott rolled in a short birdie putt at the 16th hole, he had the lead all to himself, with countrymen Day and Ogilvy not far behind.

With the shear number of Australians at the top of the leaderboard, the golfing-mad country seemed poised to celebrate the only major championship it has never won. But the Aussies will have to wait a little longer. Schwartzel stole the show over the last four holes to give him a two-stroke win over Scott and Day. Ogilvy was four shots back in fourth.