2013 Masters blog: Scott's putter the saviour

For once, for Adam Scott, it all fell into place.

It didn't look as if it would with nine holes left in regulation play this afternoon at Augusta National, as the 2013 Masters reached its rain-sodden climax.

Over the front nine this afternoon Scott played just as he did here last year: immaculate from tee to green, creating birdie chance time and again, but without sinking any of them (bar one at the third today).

Here's a recommendation for readers who might watch Scott at a tournament at some point: make sure you get into position behind a tee to watch him tee off down the line of his shot. When Scott drives off the tee his ball rises, and rises, and then keeps going up, before belatedly, reluctantly, acknowledging Newton and returning to ground level. Lots of tour golfers drive the ball well, but not many with the power and consistency of this 32-year-old Australian.

Scott's driving is stunning to watch, as it was on the eighth tee this afternoon. His second shot delivered his ball to the heart of the green on this 570-yard, uphill par-five, but then with broomstick putter in hand, Scott three-putted for par. On the ninth he let a four-footer slip by. As Scott stood on the 10th tee he should have been eight-under-par, one off Angel Cabrera's lead, but instead he was still three behind. It wasn't going to be Scott's day.

It came to mind that perhaps he should try one of those short putters you see on Tour from time to time.

There is often a turning point in a major winning round of golf though, and Scott's came at the famous 13th, ‘Azalea', as they often do at the Masters. As the rain began to pour down, his ball defied gravity again, this time perching precariously on the bank in front of the green after Scott's seven-iron approach landed half a yard short. It looked as though it would drop into the creek, taking Scott's hopes with it, but it clung on to the rough long enough for Scott to bag his birdie.

Then as Jason Day's putter fell asleep, Scott's woke up. He missed birdie chances at 16 and 17, but what a moment to nail one, from 25 feet on the 18th green. Scott holed a short knee-knocker on 18 in the play-off too, before sealing his win with the putt of his life, from 15 feet at the 10th.

Having expected Scott's putting to be his undoing, it turned out to be his savior. Robin Barwick travelled to the 2013 Masters with Mercedes-Benz, International Partner of the Masters Tournament