Golf: Woods seals ninth major victory at the Masters

Tiger Woods receives the green jacket from former champion Phil Mickelson after Woods won the 2005 Masters tournament on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff today. Picture / Reuters

AUGUSTA, Georgia - Tiger Woods clinched the ninth major title of his career by edging out fellow American Chris DiMarco in a sudden-death playoff for the 69th US Masters golf championship on Sunday.

Woods, who had led by two strokes with two holes remaining in regulation play, sank a 20-foot birdie putt at the first extra hole to clinch his 43rd PGA Tour victory.

DiMarco had to settle for second place after his approach at the par-four 18th ended up short of the green.

Three strokes clear going into the final round, Woods faced a brave challenge by playing partner DiMarco as the pair completed the 72 regulation holes in 12-under 276, Woods carding a 71 and DiMarco a 68.

Woods had produced a miracle birdie at the par-three 16th, where he holed out from 40 yards (approx 36m) off the green with a delicate chip that spun back down the slope, but then bogeyed the last two holes to let DiMarco back in.

US Open champion Retief Goosen, whose 67 was the best score of the round, tied for third at five-under 283 with Britain's Luke Donald, who eagled 13 and 15 on his way to a 69.

Woods, who ended a barren run of 10 majors since his previous triumph at the 2002 US Open, drew level on nine with fellow American Ben Hogan and South Africa's Gary Player in the all-time listings.

* New Zealander Steve Williams was once again Woods' caddy for the tournament. The pair have been together for all of Woods' successes in golf's Majors apart from the first one, the Masters in 1997, when Mike "Fluff" Cowan carried Tiger's bag.

- REUTERS