Masters 2016: Englishman Danny Willett wins green jacket after late Jordan Spieth meltdown

Danny Willett became the first English golfer in 20 years to win the Masters, as he beat defending champion Jordan Spieth to the green jacket after the American’s final day meltdown.

The Yorkshireman is England's first winner since Nick Faldo in 1996 to win at the Augusta National.

Spieth, who had led for seven rounds in succession following his wire-to-wire victory last year, was aiming to become only the fourth back-to-back Masters winner.

But an almighty collapse on the back nine, including a quadruple bogey on the par-three 12^th hole, saw him squander a five shot lead to finish three clear shots behind the winner.

Willett moved from his overnight level par to two under after birdies on the par-three sixth and par-five eighth.

Further birdies on the 13^th and 14^th saw his leapfrog a suffering Spieth to the top of the leaderboard, and another on the 16th helped complete a superb five under 67 and his first major triumph.

Spieth finished tied second with England’s Lee Westwood on two-under. Rory McIlroy, who went into the third round just one shot off the lead but faded with a 77 on Saturday, carded a closing 71.

 

Danny Willett’s 2016 Masters scorecard (Masters.com)

Earlier in the final day coverage, before Spieth had even teed off, the BBC interviewed Faldo alongside a montage of his 1996 win, when Australian Greg Norman's famously collapsed from a six-shot lead.

Little did they know that, exactly 20 years later, history was about to repeat itself.

Spieth was far from his best throughout the weekend, struggling from the tee but making up for it with imperious form on the green.

Nevertheless, he looked on the course for back-to-back green jackets when he ended the final round’s front nine with four birdies.

However, the 22-year-old American soon blew his seemingly unassailable lead with a nightmare three holes.

Bogeys at the tenth and 11th threatened to derail his bid, but when he quadruple bogeyed the 12th, hitting into the water in front of the green twice before carding a seven, he knew his chances were all but over.

Having started his final round 20 minutes earlier, all Willett had to do was hold his nerve, and he did so with a aplomb as he carded three birdies on his back nine to extend his lead.

Birdies on the 13th and 15th kept Spieth's hopes alive, but when he missed a birdy chance on the 16^th and then bogeyed the 17th, the news filtered through to the club house and Willett could celebrate a famous win.

Together with Willett's stunning victory and Spieth’s dramatic meltdown, the 40th Masters will be remembered for its English invasion.

There were five Englishman in the tournament's top ten, with Westwood tied second on -2, Paul Casey tied third on -1, 21-year-old Matthew Fitzpatrick finish level par and Justin Rose with McIlroy on +1.

Famously, there are other prizes to be won other than the green jacket at Augusta, and Irishman Shane Lowry, US Ryder Cup captain Davis Love and 2010 Open champion Louis Oosthuizen will all take home crystal trophies after they all landed holes-in-one on the par-three 16th on the final day.

Sheffield-born Willett was a doubt to even play the year's first major, with his wife Nicole due to give birth during the tournament.

The 28-year-old said it was fate that his son was born a week early, giving him the chance to win the green jacket in ‘crazy’ fashion.

"My wife was born 28 years ago on Monday and my son came early," said Willett.

"You talk about fate and everything that comes with it. It's been crazy."