Trevor Immelman has described winning The Masters as not just a dream come true but also "the craziest thing" he's ever heard of.

Immelman beat Tiger Woods by three shots at Augusta National - and immediately paid tribute to the last South African to don the Green Jacket, Gary Player.

"I'm sure he's proud of me," said Immelman, who only last December had surgery for a tumour on his diaphragm that turned out to be benign.

"I first met Gary when I was five years old. He picked me up and put me on his shoulders. I think he realised that even at a young age I had so much passion for the game.

"He's been like another type of father for me, and to have somebody with that much exper-ience on your side giving you advice is just incredible."

Immelman made his own piece of Masters history by leading from start to finish to make a mockery of the pre-event hype over Woods' Grand Slam bid.

A year after Zach Johnson tied the highest total in Masters history in capturing his first Major title, the 28-year-old from Cape Town broke his duck with the highest closing round ever by a champion.

In winds gusting up to 25mph, a three-over-par 75 proved good enough with something to spare as Brandt Snedeker, Steve Flesch and England's Paul Casey - the three closest challengers with a round to go - shot 77, 78 and 79 respectively.

Woods had won his first four events of this season, taking his unbeaten run to seven, but he would have swapped all of them to have his A-game with him in the first Major of the season.

That he still managed to come second on his own, courtesy of a closing birdie, was of little consolation to the world No.1.

"I didn't putt well all week," said Woods. "I kept dragging the blade - I wasn't releasing it like I normally do."

Of the Slam talk - on his own website he had called it "easily within reason" months ago - he added: "I learned my lesson there with the press. I'm not going to say anything."

Immelman was six clear at one point, but made it hard work for himself on the last three holes. It was back to three after he strayed into the lake off the tee at the short 16th and double-bogeyed.

An approach into the bunker on the next meant there was still a chance of a nightmare finish, but he got up and down, also parred the last and so completed the first wire-to-win victory since Raymond Floyd in 1976.

Casey's collapse meant that Padraig Harrington was the best-placed European, tying for fourth.

Scotland's Sandy Lyle, who won here in 1988, made the cut, but finished in last place after shooting a final round 77.

How they finished

280-Trevor Immelman (Rsa) 68 68 69 75 283-Tiger Woods 72 71 68 72 284-Stewart Cink 72 69 71 72, Brandt Snedeker 69 68 70 77 286-Phil Mickelson 71 68 75 72, Steve Flesch 72 67 69 78, Padraig Harrington (Irl) 74 71 69 72 287-Robert Karlsson (Swe) 70 73 71 73, Andres Romero (Arg) 72 72 70 73, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 77 70 72 68 288-Paul Casey (Eng) 71 69 69 79, Nick Watney 75 70 72 71, Lee Westwood (Eng) 69 73 73 73 289-Vijay Singh (Fij) 72 71 72 74, Sean O'Hair 72 71 71 75, Stuart Appleby (Aus) 76 70 72 71 290-Mike Weir (Can) 73 68 75 74, Retief Goosen (Rsa) 71 71 72 76, Henrik Stenson (Swe) 74 72 72 72 291-Justin Leonard 72 74 72 73, Zach Johnson 70 76 68 77, Boo Weekley 72 74 68 77, Bubba Watson 74 71 73 73, Brian Bateman 69 76 72 74 292-Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) 71 74 72 75, Arron Oberholser 71 70 74 77, J.B. Holmes 73 70 73 76, Adam Scott (Aus) 75 71 70 76, Ian Poulter (Eng) 70 69 75 78, Angel Cabrera (Arg) 73 72 73 74, Stephen Ames (Can) 70 70 77 75, Richard Sterne (Rsa) 73 72 73 74 293-Jim Furyk 70 73 73 77, Nick Dougherty (Eng) 74 69 74 76, Heath Slocum 71 76 77 69 295-Justin Rose (Eng) 68 78 73 76, Todd Hamilton 74 73 75 73, Johnson Wagner 72 74 74 75 296-Niclas Fasth (Swe) 75 70 76 75, Geoff Ogilvy (Aus) 75 71 76 74 298-KJ Choi (Kor) 72 75 78 73 299-Robert Allenby (Aus) 72 74 72 81, David Toms 73 74 72 80 300-Ian Woosnam (Wal) 75 71 76 78 302-Sandy Lyle (Sco) 72 75 78 77