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REUTERS/Mike Segar
The Masters is perhaps golfing's biggest individual prize.
It's a notoriously tricky course, with greens that deceive and punish even the steadiest hands on the world tour.
Sergio Garcia is one of the most beloved players on the world tour.
He's been a bit of a career nearly-man. While he's cleaned up wins on the circuit and been a towering influence in many a Ryder Cup, which has made him one of the most loved golfers in Europe, at 37 he'd never won a major title.
On his 74th attempt at a major tournament, he won the 2017 Masters at Augusta National, Georgia.
He became the third Spaniard to do so, after Seve Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal, on what would have been the late Ballesteros' 60th birthday.
Picture: Stephen Munday/Getty Images
Garcia said of the victory:
To join Seve and Jose - my two idols - is amazing.
Picture: JOSE JORDAN/AFP/Getty Images
It was a bit of a fairytale ending to the tournament, as Garcia won in a shootout after he and his teenage rival and friend Justin Rose both finished at nine under par for the tournament, with Garcia clinching the victory on the first hole.
With the news that Sergio is no longer the best player to never win a major, Twitter erupted with joy:
Congrats @TheSergioGarcia. Well earned.— Tiger Woods (@Tiger Woods) 1491781078
Unbelievable battle out there today . Incredible nerves of steel by both . Congratulations @TheSergioGarcia , delighted for you sir .— Niall Horan (@Niall Horan) 1491784177
This is what we have all been waiting for...#themasters 2017 Champion, @TheSergioGarcia!! Emotion, passion & humili… https://t.co/wjnskOIDgl— Confederation of Professional Golf [CPG] (@Confederation of Professional Golf [CPG]) 1491784165
What an incredible and marvelous win @TheSergioGarcia!! Huge congrats for winning this year's @TheMasters!!… https://t.co/94pEOsuI8b— Pau Gasol (@Pau Gasol) 1491783299
People quickly noted that it would have been Seve Ballesteros's 60th birthday:
That's what I'm talking about @TheSergioGarcia! Congratulations and welcome to the club. #MastersChampion #forSeve— Zach Johnson (@Zach Johnson) 1491780869
Congratulations @TheSergioGarcia! Great win!#forSeve ⛳️👍🏻— Ernie Els (@Ernie Els) 1491781346
Not a bad trio eh? #themasters #SergioGarcia Reaction: https://t.co/Y8cBbyrEPU https://t.co/MmvpMsFPOp— BBC Sport (@BBC Sport) 1491781288
And people particularly cherished this Seve-esque recovery moment by Garcia in a previous Masters:
People forget. #themasters #SergioGarcia https://t.co/CbbuvRiaVc— Joey Graz (@Joey Graz) 1491784038
People also noticed the Camaraderie between Garcia and Rose, who placed second...
Can they just turn the jacket into a big green cuddle jumper they can both wear? #themasters— Matt Murphy (@Matt Murphy) 1491779362
'We are great friends who wanted to beat the other guy, not want the other guy to lose.' - @TheSergioGarcia on @JustinRose99 #masters 🏌🏿👍— Piers Morgan (@Piers Morgan) 1491781828
...and was a class act in defeat:
Congrats @TheSergioGarcia Incredible battle out there. Sport in the moment can be tough. But it's just sport. Hope… https://t.co/XJkh4UzCvh— Justin ROSE (@Justin ROSE) 1491787460
As well as with last year's winner Danny Willett, who put the green jacket on Garcia in the traditional ceremony.
Danny Willett is all of us right now. https://t.co/mDWhiOn0nd— Alex Perry (@Alex Perry) 1491782046
Find someone who loves you as much as @Danny_Willett loves @TheSergioGarcia #themasters https://t.co/Eiz3HxIGK8— Joshua (@Joshua) 1491782272
Two years ago if you told me Danny Willett would be putting a Green Jacket onto Sergio Garcia I would've called you crazy. #TheMasters— Christian Ditty (@Christian Ditty) 1491788128
Congratulations Sergio. It's been a long time coming.
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