Scott ends Australia's Masters jinx

'Destiny'

Australians have won all of golf's other majors but the Masters had become a source of frustration after decades of agonising near-misses which started with Jim Ferrier, the 1947 PGA Championship winner, who blew a three-shot lead with six holes to play at Augusta National in 1950.

Peter Thomson won the British Open five times in the 1950s and 1960s but his best result at the Masters was fifth place in 1957. Bruce Crampton finished runner-up in 1972, as did Jack Newtown in 1980.

Adam Scott of Australia wears his green jacket after winning the 2013 Masters golf tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, April 14, 2013. [Photo/Agencies]

Then came Greg Norman, whose cruel close calls at Augusta became torturous viewing for Australians.

Norman finished runner-up in 1986, bogeying the last hole to miss out on a playoff with a 46-year-old Jack Nicklaus. A year later, he was beaten in a playoff after Larry Mize holed out from off the green, but his darkest moment was yet to come.

In 1996, Norman led by six shots heading into the final round but crumbled to shoot a 78 and finish second again. Those near misses only spurred Australia's new generation of golfers to get their hands on the green jacket.

Scott, who was inspired by Norman and later became close friends with "The Shark," was deemed the leader of the new generation but struggled to make an impression at the majors.

His career seemed to be in freefall until two years ago when he almost won the Masters. But like his idol, he had to settle for second, tied with compatriot Jason Day in 2011.

"We are a proud sporting country, and like to think we are the best at everything, like any proud sporting country," he told reporters on Sunday.

"Golf is a big sport at home. It may not be the biggest sport, but it's been a sport that's been followed with a long list of great players, and this was one thing in golf that we had not been able to achieve.

"It's amazing that it's my destiny to be the first Aussie to win, it's just incredible."