Photographs: REUTERS/Mike Segar
As Bubba Watson celebrates a surprise triumph in the Masters, Bikash Mohapatra looks back at instances when left-handers reigned on the hallowed Augusta greens.
Bubba Watson's surprise win at the Augusta Masters on Sunday was a twin achievement.
His sudden death play-off win over South African Louis Oosthuizen earned the 33-year-old his first major title, following the disappointment of another play-off defeat at the PGA Championships in 2010.
Secondly, it made him only the third left-hander ever to win at Augusta.
Even as the American celebrates putting on the green jacket, rediff.com takes a look at the other instances when the lefties got it right at the Masters.
Surprisingly, all of them were in the last decade.
Weir was the first left-hander to win at Augusta
Photographs: REUTERS/Shaun Best
Mike Weir was the first left-hander to win at Augusta.
His title win in 2003 made him the first Canadian to bag a major title.
Besides, Weir also became only the second left-handed golfer ever to win any of the four majors. New Zealand's Sir Bob Charles, having won the British Open back in 1963, was the lone other golfer to achieve the feat.
It is imperative here to mention that Weir happens to be a right-hander who plays golf left-handed.
Unfortunately for him, almost 10 years later, that Masters win continues to be his lone major title.
Mickelson is also a right-hander who plays golf left-handed
Photographs: REUTERS
Phil Mickelson did a four-peat when it comes to left-handers winning major titles.
Besides winning the Masters on three occasions, the American also pocketed the US PGA Championship in 2005.
That apart, the 41-year-old finished runner-up at the US Open on five occasions and second best at the Open in 2011.
Like Weir, Mickelson is also a right-hander who plays golf left-handed.
Nicknamed Lefty, Mickelson's first major title came at Augusta in 2004, when he won with an 18-foot final hole birdie putt, defeating South African Ernie Els in a back-nine duel.
Mickelson's second win at Augusta made him world No.2
Photographs: REUTERS/Robert Galbraith
Mickelson's second Green Jacket came in 2006 at the expense of another South African, Tim Clark.
The American shot a 3-under-par final round, thereby winning by two strokes over his Clark.
This triumph, his third major success, helped Mickelson climb to second in the world rankings.
Lefty finished joint-third this year
Photographs: REUTERS/Joe Skipper
Mickelson's third Masters triumph came in 2010 with a three-stroke win over the highly-rated English golfer Lee Westwood.
The result was a significant one considering the American was trailing Westwood going into the third round.
Mickelson also put up a good show at the Masters this year, finishing joint third.
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