It appeared headed for the hole - then appeared to stop right on the lip. The ball hung there, on the lip, for a split-second, then turned a fraction of a revolution more and dropped into the cup. Woods and his caddie exulted, the crowd (and television announcers) exploded in roars; and DiMarco, in the understatement of the decade, said, "Nice shot."

Woods' lead was two at that point, but Woods bogied the final two holes. DiMarco had a chip-in for birdie on the 72nd hole, but his ball hit the flagstick and bounced away. He made the 10-foot par putt to force a playoff.

The memorable Woods-DiMarco duel came to an end on the first playoff hole when Woods rolled in a 15-foot birdie putt. It was Woods' fourth win in The Masters, matching Arnold Palmer and two short of Jack Nicklaus' tournament record.

The 2005 Masters was plagued all week by poor weather. The first round didn't conclude until Friday; the second round not until Saturday; and the third round not until Sunday morning.

Nicklaus made his final Masters appearance this year, shooting 77-76 and missing the cut.

Another player making an impact was 73-year-old past champion Billy Casper. Casper, playing for the first time since 2001, shot 34-over 106 in the first round, but that score - which would be the highest ever recorded in The Masters - is considered unofficial because Casper withdrew.