AUGUSTA: Jordan Spieth won a historic Masters triumph for the ages Sunday, the 21-year-old American deftly handling the final-round tension to hold off Phil Mickelson and Justin Rose and win his first major title by four shots.
Writing an epic conclusion to a week of domination at Augusta National, Spieth fired a two-under par 70 to finish on 18-under 270, matching the 72-hole tournament record set by Tiger Woods in 1997.
"This was arguably the greatest day of my life," Spieth said. "It's incredible. "It's a dream come true."
Spieth claimed the green jacket symbolic of Masters supremacy and the top prize of $1.8 million at the $10 million event by denying two of golf's top major champions another crown.
"It was very nerve-wracking today," Spieth said. "With two major champions right behind me, I couldn't let up."
England's Rose, the 2013 US Open winner and Spieth's last-pair playing partner, shot 70 to share second on 274 with 44-year-old US left-hander Mickelson, a five-time major winner who shot 69.
"I played a good solid round but I needed something exceptional. I just didn't quite get it," Mickelson said. "I just got outplayed. Jordan played great."
Top-ranked Rory McIlroy, seeking a third consecutive major win to complete his career Grand Slam, was fourth on 276 after a 66, one stroke ahead of Japan's Hideki Matsuyama.
Woods, a 14-time major champion, fired a 73 to share 17th on 283, his best finish since 2013 and a sign that the worst of his physical and shotmaking woes might be behind him.
"Considering where I was... I'm really proud of it," Woods said of his effort.
Spieth was a runner-up to Bubba Watson last year in his Masters debut after squandering a front-nine lead on Sunday, but this time responded four times when dropping a shot to his rivals, restoring his margin each time on the very next hole.
"Every time I thought there was a chink in the armor, he would come up with a big putt," Rose said.
Spieth, who will jump from fourth to second in the world rankings, became the second-youngest winner in Masters history, five months older than Woods when he won his first major in 1997.
Also, Spieth became only the fifth wire-to-wire winner in Masters history, joining Craig Wood in 1941, Arnold Palmer in 1960, Jack Nicklaus in 1972 and Ray Floyd in 1976.
"It was awfully impressive," McIlroy said of Spieth's performance.
Starting with a four-stroke lead after setting the 36- and 54-hole Masters scoring records, the youngest 18-hole leader in Masters history answered every stumble quickly.
Three times on the front nine Rose trimmed Spieth's lead to three shots and each time the Texan boosted his edge back to four on the very next hole.
When Rose made bogey at nine and Spieth followed with a 23-foot birdie putt at 10, the lead was six shots over Rose and Mickelson.
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