2017 Masters: Final Round Reflections

While Sergio Garcia was enjoying the cut and fit of his new Green Jacket, his rivals in the 2017 Masters field were left to rue missed opportunities of the final round.

The result at the 2017 Masters was particularly hard for runner-up Justin Rose, who had the putts to win coming down the closing stretch yesterday, but the Englishman could not have been more gracious or level-headed after Garcia clinched the title at the first play-off hole.

“I really stepped up,” said Rose, 36, who has finished second at the Masters twice in the past three years. “I felt great. I felt in control. I felt positive. I felt confident.

"And you know, barring a great comeback from Sergio, it was mine to cruise to the house. But it's not always that easy.

“I’ve always said, you're going to win majors and you're going to lose majors but you've got to be willing to lose them. You've got to put yourself out there. There's a lot of pressure out there and if you're not willing to enjoy it, then you're not ready to win these tournaments. I loved it out there.”

Jordan Spieth, the Masters champ of 2015, was widely expected to challenge right to the line, but a disappointing 75, three over par, in the final round, saw the Texan slip out of contention and finish tied for 11^th, alongside his playing partner in the penultimate pairing, Rickie Fowler.

“If I was able to hang in there and we were able to feed off each other, then we would have been able to push through like you saw Sergio and Justin do today,” said Spieth, 23. “We could have definitely done that today. We’re both capable of it. The stage wasn’t too big, it just didn’t quite happen.”

Added Fowler: “We both could have played better. Bogeying the last three holes didn’t help. I didn’t make anything today. I didn’t make the putts that can hold momentum or build momentum.”