( CNN ) -- From teary-eyed teenager to the proud owner of a green jacket , Adam Scott 's transformation from best of the rest to major winner has involved a fair amount of heartache . The newly-crowned Masters champion watched on television as his hero and fellow Australian Greg Norman threw away a six-shot lead at Augusta in 1996 , while Scott himself blew a four-shot advantage over the final four holes of last year 's British Open . But there was no collapse , no choking on Sunday . The new world No . 3 showed nerves of steel to defeat overnight co-leader Angel Cabrera in a tense two-hole playoff to win the first major of 2013 . `` The whole nation stopped that day and felt for Greg , '' Scott told CNN when asked about Norman 's implosion on April 14 , 1996 . The tale of Twitter : Masters social media reaction . `` It was so hard to see your hero not come up with the goods that day like he normally always did . I learned lessons out of that day . `` It 's an amazing journey , the whole golfing career . I 've played a lot of majors and to finally get one means a lot . I 've knocked on the door a couple of times recently , to get over the hurdle is hopefully the start of something to come . '' Scott has flirted with major success on a number of occasions . He finished third at the 2006 PGA Championship before tying for second at the Masters two years ago , with his final-round collapse at Royal Lytham and St. Annes in 2012 was the closest he had got to winning one of the sport 's four blue riband events , letting the Claret Jug slip from his grasp and into Ernie Els ' hands . Now , Scott is Australia 's first Masters champion , succeeding where two-time major winner Norman and the great Peter Thompson failed . `` Golf is a game that can humble you very quickly , and it certainly did at the British Open , '' continued the 32-year-old . `` But I 've won tournaments before and I 've lost tournaments before and it 's going to keep happening for the rest of my life . As much as I do n't want to lose tournaments , it 's inevitable . `` The British Open gave me more belief than anything . No doubt , it just gave me more belief that I am good enough to win a major championship . '' Scott looked to have done enough for victory when he holed an impressive birdie on the 72nd hole of the weekend to move to nine-under par and into the outright lead . But Cabrera , who held a share of the lead heading into Sunday , responded with a sublime approach shot to the final green and a playoff was required . Scott eventually emerged victorious on the second playoff hole , the par-four 10th , fulfilling the dreams of the 15-year-old who watched Norman 's infamous capitulation . `` It 's quite a feeling to make a couple of putts to win a tournament , '' he said . `` It 's what every kid dreams about . For it to finally happen is amazing . '' The Adelaide native becomes the latest player to win a major using the controversial belly putter . Els ' victory over Scott was achieved using the club , while Webb Simpson and Keegan Bradley both belly putted their way to major championships . That putter , which involves golfers anchoring the club to any part of the body , has divided golf in recent months . The Royal & Ancient and the United States Golf Association , backed by the European Tour , has proposed banning anchored putting from 2016 onwards , a move opposed by the PGA and the PGA Tour . For now though , Scott has time to savor his win at Augusta , while golf 's regulators come up with a belly putter solution .
Adam Scott became first Australian winner of the Masters . The new world No . 3 defeated Argentina 's Ángel Cabrera in a two - hole playoff . Scott watched on as Greg Norman collapsed to lose a six - stroke lead in 1996 . Scott threw away a four - shot lead over the final three holes of 2012 British Open .