South African Charl Schwartzel birdied the last four holes at formidable Augusta National to win the 75th Masters by two strokes over Australians Adam Scott and Jason Day.

South African Charl Schwartzel (L) birdied the last four holes at formidable Augusta National to win the 75th Masters.

No Masters champion had ever finished with such a run as Schwartzel capped a suspenseful back-nine showdown involving no less than 10 golfers from around the world, including a surge by 14-time major champion Tiger Woods.

"It\'s a dream for me," Schwartzel said. "It\'s such a special feeling. I just felt really comfortable. I\'ve never been in sort of a situation like that in a major and I felt surprisingly very calm."

Schwartzel finished 72 holes on 14-under par 274, two ahead of Day and Scott to claim the green jacket symbolic of Masters victory and $1.4 million while denying them the chance to be the first Aussies to win the Masters.

"It was just a phenomenal day," Schwartzel said. "There were so many roars. The atmosphere out there was incredible."

Scott birdied the par-4 14th to seize a one-stroke lead, overcame a poor chip at the par-5 15th to stay on top, then smashed his tee shot at the par-3 16th three feet from the cup to set up a birdie that gave him a two-shot edge.

"I don\'t think I can ask for anything more," Scott said. "It was great to make a run out there. I just want to get in the mix next time."

But Schwartzel answered the challenge with birdies at the par-5 15th and par-3 16th to match Scott, then sank a tension-packed eight-foot putt at 17 and needed only a par on 18 to seize the victory.

Instead, he dropped a 15-footer for birdie to finish off a six-under par 66, the day\'s low round.

"Adam Scott was making birdies and I needed to do something," Schwartzel said. "I made some good iron shots and some good putts."

Schwartzel also made a chip-in birdie at the first and an eagle from the fairway on the third in a remarkable round on an electrifying day of drama.

"From the word go on the first hole, things started going for me," Schwartzel said. "It\'s always nice when things start in the right direction."

Australian players have won nine British Opens, four PGA Championships and two US Open titles, but never the Masters.

"I couldn\'t do any more than I did out there," Masters debutante Day said after a round of 68. "Adam and I gave our best. Charl just had a little more. To be in the hunt to be the first Aussie to win the Masters was special."

Schwartzel won 50 years to the day after countryman Gary Player became the first Masters winner from outside America.

"I don\'t think I\'ve ever done so much praying on a golf course in my life," said Schwartzel, who dedicated the victory to his father and thanked reigning British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen for being an inspiration.

"He inspired me so much to do this and think it\'s possible to win a major like this," Schwartzel said.

It was only the second time in 21 years that the Masters winner did not come from the final pairing, Schwartzel in the penultimate group after entering the last round four strokes behind Rory McIlroy.

The 21-year-old from Northern Ireland led by a stroke when he reached the 10th tee, but a triple bogey disaster followed by a bogey and double bogey sent him soaring to an 80, the same score he shot at wind-blown St. Andrews last July after an opening 63 to match the low round in major history.

"I just lost it and couldn\'t get it back," McIlroy said. "I\'m very disappointed but I will get over it. I have to take away the positives. I led this golf tournament for 63 holes. Maybe it will build some character."

Woods closed with a 67 to share fourth with England\'s Luke Donald and Aussie Geoff Ogilvy on 278, one shot ahead of Argentina\'s Angel Cabrera and two better than South Korean K.J. Choi and American Bo Van Pelt, all of whom were also in the back-nine title fight.

"It was, I imagine, one of the best Masters to watch," Donald said.

"It was unreal," Day said. "It\'s probably the most excited I\'ve ever been in a golf tournament. I can\'t wait to watch it on TV."

Woods lipped out a four-foot eagle putt on the par-5 15th that would have given him the lead alone, settling instead for a birdie to share the lead.

Woods played the outward nine in 31 and added to the tension on the leaders on a hot day.

"I was an interested spectator of the Tiger show on the front nine," Ogilvy said. "It was quite nice to listen to the roars."

But Woods still has not won in 22 events since his infamous sex scandal erupted in November of 2009, has not won the Masters since 2005 and has not won a major since the 2008 US Open.

"I got off to a nice start," Woods said. "On the back nine, I could have capitalized more. I hit it good all day. I\'m happy about that."