Matsuyama dons the famous green champion jacket after winning the Masters.
(CNN) -
Hideki Matsuyama ran two brilliant final rounds at Augusta National and won the 2021 Masters.
The Japanese golfer finished ahead of Will Zalatoris, in second place, to claim his first major.
He fired a final round of 73 to finish with a score of 10 under par, one shot ahead of the American runner-up.
The 29-year-old was among the bulk of competitors ahead of an hour-long weather delay Saturday, then catapulted into the lead in the third round on the point of good golf.
In Sunday's important fourth round, Matsuyama held off early challenges from Zalatoris and a late push from Xander Schauffele, in which both players found water, before guiding himself to victory.
By winning the famous golf tournament, Matsuyama became the first Japanese to win a golf major and ended a nearly four-year drought without success.
Matsuyama's previous best result was at the 2017 US Open
Matsuyama, who was ranked 25th in the world golf rankings, was not one of the typical names suggested as a possible Masters winner.
After all, he hasn't won the PGA Tour since August 2017.
His previous best record in a major came at the US Open in 2017, when he tied for second behind Brooks Koepka.
Justin Rose's brilliant first round stole the headlines Thursday, but the Japanese golfer was just a few shots behind.
Augusta Masters