Masters 2012: Bubba Watson in Masters play-off win

Trapped among the trees 155 yards from the hole and not able to see the green, the left-hander hit a huge hook and landed the ball safely on the tenth green.

Watson two-putted for par and because South African Oosthuizen couldn’t get up and down from the front of the green, the American had captured his first major.

Earlier, Watson birdied holes 13 through to 16 to rally from as many as four shots off the lead. Oosthuizen had grabbed the lead on the second hole when, astonishingly, he holed out from the fairway for a rare albatross 2. But it was Watson who hit the shot of the day – the approach on the tenth that helped him win the first Masters play-off since 2009.

“He hit an unbelievable shot there,” Oosthuizen said afterwards. “I played well.

“This is not one I felt like I played badly. Great stuff to him. He deserves it.”

Before being presented with his Green Jacket, a tearful Watson struggled to get any words out when asked to describe how he felt.

“I never got this far in my dreams,” said the 33-year-old.

Speaking about his drive into trouble in the play-off he added: “I was there earlier. So I was used to it. I knew what I was facing. I had a good lie. I had to hook it about 40 yards, but I am pretty good at hooking it.”

Watson and his wife adopted their first child recently and he added: “To go home to my new son is going to be fun.”

Watson’s victory takes him to a career-high fourth in the world. He came into the week ranked 16th and is the eighth successive major champion who had never previously tasted success at the highest level of golf.

British world No 3 Lee Westwood birdied four of the last six holes for a 68 to share third place at eight under with Americans Phil Mickelson (72) and Matt Kuchar (69), and Swede Peter Hanson (73).

Four-times winner Tiger Woods made a humbling exit from the tournament after battling his way to a two-over-par 74 and a five-over total of 293, his worst Masters finish as a professional.