The final two pairings on Sunday at the Masters were a golf fan's dream as Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler teed off right before Justin Rose and Sergio Garcia in the final group.
The two Europeans certainly delivered on the enormous hype with a heavyweight bout for the ages, but the young American duo crashed out in spectacular fashion, combining to shoot 7-over par on the final 18 holes.
Spieth fired himself back into contention on Saturday with a sizzling 68, but ejected from Sunday's proceedings early with three bogeys in his first six holes. The ghosts of 2016 revisited the 23-year-old on the 12th hole, as he found Rae's Creek with his tee shot yet again, leading to a double-bogey 5.
The 2015 champion would walk off the 14th green at 6-over for his round, but closed with a flurry of birdies to finish with a 3-over 75. His 11th-place showing is the worst in his four starts at the Masters, which is an absolutely absurd stat for such a young player. It was clear the energy Spieth used to make up the ground on Saturday zapped him for any chance at a second green jacket on Sunday.
Fowler entered play on Sunday just one stroke off the pace in search of his first career major championship. He offset two bogeys with two birdies on the front side and came to the back nine in great shape to make a run at the green jacket. Unfortunately, he took himself out of contention for the title with dropped shots at both 11 and 12 and the disappointment clearly showed as he finished with three straight bogeys for a 4-over 76.
With Garcia's victory, Fowler is certainly among those in the conversation for "best player to never win a major." His victory at the 2015 Players Championship showed he can win over a top field, but questions will remain about his closing ability after Sunday's letdown.
