Johnson slips in under radar

Sometimes, it's the quiet ones you've got to watch. Zach Johnson, as inconspicuous as a stealth bomber, flew in under the radar in the 71st Masters - a test as severe as the majestic course has ever presented - to claim his first major, gallantly outrunning a posse that included some of golf's biggest names.

Given the 31-year-old US Ryder Cup player had only ever won once on the US Tour, in the BellSouth Classic of 2004, and had only one top-10 finish on tour this season, his ability to remain calm under so much pressure was extremely impressive.

If he'd looked over his shoulder at those pursuing, Johnson could have been forgiven if he went wobbly at the knees. On a day when no fewer than five players held the lead at one stage or another, among those in pursuit of Johnson down the stretch were Tiger Woods, with 12 majors to his name and
the game's dominant figure, and Retief Goosen, a two-time US Open champion.

Undeterred, Johnson refused to buckle, playing sensibly - refusing to be tempted to go for either the 13th or 15th greens in two - and eventually firing a 69 for 280, one over, which gave him a two-stroke winning margin over Woods, Goosen and Rory Sabbatini.

"I've dreamed about this for years," said Johnson, who started his professional career with the assistance of 10 businessmen in his native Iowa and earned a place on tour after dominating the Nationwide Tour.

The quest for a European player to end the drought since Paul Lawrie's major win (at the British Open in 1999) will continue when the season's next major, the US Open at Oakmont, takes place in June. Three Europeans finished in the top 10 here.

Justin Rose, despite posting two doublebogeys in his opening three holes, recovered to shoot a 73 for 292, which gave him a share of fifth place alongside Jerry Kelly.

In contrast to Saturday's cold wind, which led to averages scores shooting to above 77, easier pin placements and a breeze instead of a stiff wind enabled players to generate the traditional Sunday finish of birdies and eagles. Indeed, the par-five 13th had yielded only five eagles over the first three days, but threw up six yesterday - including one each to Woods and Harrington - as players aggressively went in search of the green jacket.

Indeed, aggression led to some strange moments. Woods, for one, broke the shaft on an iron after being stymied on the 11th hole, where he pushed his drive into the trees. As he attempted to play a recovery, Woods's club hit a tree and the shaft split in half.

It was an indication of Woods's desire to claim a 13th major that, ultimately, was to prove to be beyond him.

"I had to hit some sort of miracle shot, hit it in the water but still kept myself in the ball game," said Woods. "This golf course was playing very difficult. The thing is to keep plodding along and give yourself some chances for birdies, which are very difficult to come by."

In the end, though, nobody could catch Johnson. It was a case of what might have been for so many, Stuart Appleby, Goosen, Woods and Sabbatini all grabbing the lead at some juncture. But Johnson was the one who grabbed it most passionately, incurring only one bogey on his winning run home and, critically, making birdie on the par-three 17th that put enough space between him and his chasers to enable him to claim a first major.

Harrington could be forgiven for wishing never to see the 15th hole ever again. It plagued him throughout this tournament, and effectively proved his downfall as, over the four days, he dropped five shots there in a run of triple bogey, birdie, double bogey, bogey.

In fairness, chasing down Johnson, he went for the green in two in yesterday's final round, his approach coming up a foot or two short of safety and rolling back down the tightly shaved bank.

That risk-and-reward second shot was one Harrington had to take on, having galvanised his charge around Amen Corner. Harrington, in the penultimate pairing with Rose, had started the round two shots behind the Australian Stuart Appleby but bogeyed the first and fourth holes.

A birdie on the 12th, however, gave him momentum, which really gathered steam on the par-five 13th when he reached the green in two and rolled in the eagle putt - only to stumble with bogeys on the 15th and 16th.

Of the approach to the 15th, he remarked: "It didn't work out, but that's Augusta. It's an intimidating shot but I never even contemplated it going in the water, I was telling it to sit down . . . it was only when I heard the oohs and aahs of the crowd that I knew it was in the water.

"But I was in contention and I was comfortable in that position. I am well capable of having a special week when it is my turn," said Harrington. "I can't wait for the US Open and the British Open. You can't beat playing in these sort of tournaments."

A birdie on the 16th, though, enabled Harrington  to sign for a 73 for 293, which left him in tied-seventh. It was his second top-10 finish in a Masters and following his fifthplace finish in the US Open at Winged Foot last year reaffirmed Harrington's belief he has what it takes to win a major.

Phil Mickelson's defence, such as it was, crumbled as soon as it started in the final round. His first drive flew into a fairway bunker on the way to a triple-bogey seven. He eventually finished with a 77 for 299.