Danny Willett wins Masters after Spieth collapse

Englishman Danny Willett triumphed in the 80th Masters Sunday after nearly skipping the tournament two weeks ago.

"It's been crazy," Willett said before being helped into the Green Jacket by last year's champion, Jordan Spieth. "You can't really describe the emotions and feelings."

Willett said he already had this Sunday circled on his calendar - the due date of his first child. He wasn't planning to be at Augusta National in the US state of Georgia until his wife gave birth to their son, Zachariah James, on March 30 and sent the 28-year-old Englishman on an improbable path to becoming a major champion.

Nine holes away from another wire-to-wire victory; the defending Masters champion Spieth threw it away with a collapse around Amen Corner that was shocking even by Augusta National standards.

The American world number two had stormed five strokes in front with nine holes to play and victory seemingly assured when he bogeyed the 10th and 11th before running up a nightmare seven at the par-three 12th.

"It's tough, it's really tough," Spieth told CBS Sports about the sudden three-hole collapse, his voice raw with emotion. "A very tough 30 minutes for me that hopefully I will never experience again."

A shocking come-from-behind victory

Rory McIlroy, a four-time major winner, finished with a creditable 71. That left him on 1-over for the tournament, six shots worse off than Willett.

But at just 26 years old, the star from Northern Ireland says he's convinced that one day he will find a solution.

"Yeah, this is the one that I haven't won and this is the one I want to win more than anything else," McIlroy said.

jar/bw (AFP, AP, Reuters)