Tiger Woods shocks sporting world with incredible Masters triumph

Tiger Woods has captured his 15th major championship and fifth Masters title with a one-shot victory at Augusta National.

Starting the final round two shots behind the lead, Woods bogeyed the last but a two-under-par 70 gave him a 13-under-par (275) total on Sunday, with Dustin Johnson (68), Xander Schauffele (68) and Brooks Koepka (70) tied second one shot behind.

Australia’s Jason Day (67) was tied fifth at 11 under alongside 54-hole leader Francesco Molinari, Webb Simpson (70) and Tony Finau (72).

After a day of deafening roars, Woods was overcome with emotion given his daughter, Sam, and son, Charlie, were standing beside the 18th green.

Sam was 12 months old when Woods won his last major, at the 2008 US Open, while Charlie was born a year later after his Torrey Pines triumph.

“I’m a little hoarse from yelling,” a tearful Woods said before the green jacket presentation in the Butler Cabin.

“To have my kids there, it’s come full circle; my dad was here (when I won) in 1997 and now I’m the dad with two kids here.

“It’s overwhelming because what has transpired … I’m at a loss for words really.”

Former world No.1 Woods has moved to within three of Jack Nicklaus’ all-time record 18 victories and one behind Sam Snead’s record 82 US PGA Tour wins.

“A big ‘well done’ from me to @TigerWoods! I am so happy for him and for the game of golf. This is just fantastic!” 79-year-old Nicklaus posted on Twitter.

Although it is the first major Woods has won starting a final round behind the lead, he showed his once-dominant self when he took the outright lead with a two-putt birdie on the par-5 15th and never looked back.

He stiffed his tee-shot at the par-3 16th to tap-in range for a birdie, before a regulation par on 17 allowed Woods to bogey the 72nd – and he used all five strokes on that hole.

Woods, 43, became the oldest champion at Augusta since Nicklaus captured his sixth and final Masters aged 46 in 1986.

Woods will move to No.6 in the world rankings – less than two years after he was ranked 1,199 and contemplated retiring from golf due to ongoing back injuries.

Meanwhile, Adam Scott, the 2013 Masters champion, (73, six under), Marc Leishman (75, one over) and Cameron Smith (77, two over) rounded out the Australian contingent.

But Tiger’s triumph will go down in history, with many calling it the greatest comeback in sports history.

MILESTONES OF TIGER WOODS’ MASTERS WIN

* Woods secured his 15th major championship, bringing him within three of Jack Nicklaus’ record 18 titles

* It is Woods’ fifth Masters after donning the green jacket in 1997, 2001, 2002 and 2005. Only Nicklaus (six) has more

* It is Woods’ first ever come-from-behind victory at a major championship. Each of his previous 14 victories came from at least a share of the 54-hole lead

* Woods moves up six spots to No.6 on the world rankings, less than two years after being ranked 1199th

* Woods’ 81st career PGA Tour victory moves him to within one of Sam Snead’s all-time record 82 wins

* Woods becomes the first champion in 83 Masters to receive more than $US2 million in prizemoney. Pockets $US2,070,000 ($A2.9 million) which increases his lead on top of the PGA Tour’s all-time career earnings list to $US118,309,570 ($A165 million)

* Woods’ 14 years between Masters wins beats Gary Player’s record gap of 13 years

* Woods is the second player after Nicklaus to win the Masters in three different decades

* Joins Jack Nicklaus as the only player to win majors 20 years apart (Nicklaus 24 years, Woods 22 years)

* The Masters is the seventh different PGA Tour event Woods has won five times. Nicklaus and Snead are the closest with three of such events