AUGUSTA, Ga. — Patrick Reed became famous playing for his country. He won for himself on Sunday at the Masters.
Rory McIlroy came after him early. Jordan Spieth briefly tied him for the lead. Rickie Fowler birdied the last hole to leave him no room for error. Reed never flinched through it all on a raucous afternoon at Augusta National, calmly rolling in a 3-foot par putt for a 1-under 71 and a one-shot victory.
Captain America is now the Masters champion.
Even as the loudest cheers were for everyone else, Reed earned all the respect with two big birdie putts on the back nine, one key par and plenty of grit.
The 27-year-old Texan becomes the fourth straight Masters champion to win his first major.
Fowler holed an 8-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a 67. He had to settle for his third runner-up finish in a major. He left the scoring cabin when Reed two-putted for par down the slippery slope on the 18th green and waited for a chance to greet Reed.
“Glad I at least made the last one, make him earn it,” Fowler said with a grin.
“You had to do it didn’t you?” Reed told him as they exchanged a hug. “You had to birdie the last.”
Spieth put up the most unlikely fight and was on the verge of the greatest comeback in Masters history. He started nine shots behind going into the final round, and was inches away on two shots from a chance at another green jacket. His tee shot on the 18th clipped the last branch in his way, dropping his ball some 267 yards from the green. His 8-foot par putt for a record-tying 63 narrowly missed on the right. He had to settle for a 64.
Reed won for the sixth time in his PGA Tour career, though he was best known for the trophies he shared at the Ryder Cup. He is ferocious in match play, especially the team variety, and his singles victory over McIlroy at Hazeltine in 2016 led to the nickname of Captain America.
McIlroy, meanwhile, will have to wait another year for a shot at the career Grand Slam. Trailing by three shots to start the final round, he closed to within one shot after two holes. That was as close as he came. McIlroy’s putter betrayed him, and he was never a factor on the back nine. He closed with a 74 and tied for fifth.
Masters Tournament All-Time Winners
2018 — Patrick Reed
2017 — Sergio Garcia
2016 — Danny Willett
2015 — Jordan Spieth
2014 — Bubba Watson
2013 — x-Adam Scott
2012 — x-Bubba Watson
2011 — Charl Schwartzel
2010 — Phil Mickelson
2009 — x-Angel Cabrera
2008 — Trevor Immelman
2007 — Zach Johnson
2006 — Phil Mickelson
2005 — x-Tiger Woods
2004 — Phil Mickelson
2003 — x-Mike Weir
2002 — Tiger Woods
2001 — Tiger Woods
2000 — Vijay Singh
1999 — Jose Maria Olazabal
1998 — Mark O’Meara
1997 — Tiger Woods
1996 — Nick Faldo
1995 — Ben Crenshaw
1994 — Jose Maria Olazabal
1993 — Bernhard Langer
1992 — Fred Couples
1991 — Ian Woosnam
1990 — x-Nick Faldo
1989 — x-Nick Faldo
1988 — Sandy Lyle
1987 — x-Larry Mize
1986 — Jack Nicklaus
1985 — Bernhard Langer
1984 — Ben Crenshaw
1983 — Seve Ballesteros
1982 — x-Craig Stadler
1981 — Tom Watson
1980 — Seve Ballesteros
1979 — x-Fuzzy Zoeller
1978 — Gary Player
1977 — Tom Watson
1976 — Raymond Floyd
1975 — Jack Nicklaus
1974 — Gary Player
1973 — Tommy Aaron
1972 — Jack Nicklaus
1971 — Charles Coody
1970 — x-Billy Casper
1969 — George Archer
1968 — Bob Goalby
1967 — Gay Brewer Jr.
1966 — x-Jack Nicklaus
1965 — Jack Nicklaus
1964 — Arnold Palmer
1963 — Jack Nicklaus
1962 — x-Arnold Palmer
1961 — Gary Player
1960 — Arnold Palmer
1959 — Art Wall Jr.
1958 — Arnold Palmer
1957 — Doug Ford
1956 — Jack Burke Jr.
1955 — Cary Middlecoff
1954 — x-Sam Snead
1953 — Ben Hogan
1952 — Sam Snead
1951 — Ben Hogan
1950 — Jimmy Demaret
1949 — Sam Snead
1948 — Claude Harmon
1947 — Jimmy Demaret
1946 — Herman Keiser
1945 — No tournament, WWII
1944 — No tournament, WWII
1943 — No tournament, WWII
1942 — x-Byron Nelson
1941 — Craig Wood
1940 — Jimmy Demaret
1939 — Ralph Guldahl
1938 — Henry Picard
1937 — Byron Nelson
1936 — Horton Smith
1935 — x-Gene Sarazen
1934 — Horton Smith
x-won playoff
