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Garcia, the British amateur champion, became the first European to gain the honor Sunday, shooting a 1-over-par 73 in a round that included four birdies.

"I know it makes Spain proud," said Garcia who finished with a 7-over-par total of 295. "It's something I wanted to do. And I played a good round in the most difficult of our four days here. It's exciting to know I'm the first from Europe to win low-amateur at the Masters."

Garcia beat out a contingent that included Georgia Tech junior Matt Kuchar, who finished in the top 25 at Augusta last year; Tom McKnight, the finalist in the U.S. Amateur; and U.S. Public Links champion Trevor Immelman of South Africa.

"I learned a lot in my first Masters," Garcia said. "I learned you have to have a lot of patience."

McKnight, a petroleum distributor from Virginia, was two shots back of Garcia after a 77. McKnight knocked Garcia out of the U.S. Amateur. Hank Kuehne, who beat McKnight for the U.S. Amateur title, didn't make the cut.

Kuchar shot a final round 78 to finish 11 over. Immelman shot 79 for a plus-17 total.

Garcia wouldn't say when he plans to turn professional.

"I'm going to wait until I get back to Spain and talk it over with my family," Garcia said.

The amateur must play all four rounds to win the medal. England's Trevor Homer was low after two rounds in 1974 but missed the cut.

Will there ever be four 60s?

There's a Masters record even Tiger Woods hasn't broken, and it's still safe.

No player has ever shot in the 60s all four rounds. Woods came close when he won the tournament with a record 18-under-par in 1997. He shot in the 60s the last three rounds, but a first-round 70 when he went out in 40 and came back in 30 kept him from the exclusive all-60s club.

"The greens here are too elusive for anyone to shoot in the 60s in all four rounds," said two-time champion Ben Crenshaw.

Norman's ball headed to charity auction

The ball that Greg Norman lost at the 12th hole Saturday was found by CBS commentator Bobby Clampett and is headed for charity.

The ball, a Maxfli XS with the number 0 and the word "SHARK" on it, was found deep in the Asiatic jasmine behind the 155-yard, par-3 hole.

"It was embedded pretty deep," said Clampett, who had the tower assignment on No. 12. He got permission to look for the ball at the end of play.

Norman had to go back to the tee. His third shot found the green and he sank a long putt for a bogey.

No. 11 takes its toll

The 11th hole is the start of Amen Corner and it was the one that terrorized players the most in the final round of the Masters. The par-4 played to a 4.6 stroke average, highest at Augusta National.

Ben Hogan once said of the hole: "If you ever see me on the green in two, you know I pulled my second shot. The play is to the right, where it's safe."

Norman made a long birdie putt there and Olazábal got through the hole with a par.

David Duval's hopes died when he made double-bogey there by hitting a ball into the water. England's Lee Westwood also made a six on the 455-yard, par-4.

Contenders Bob Estes and Steve Pate each bogeyed.

Masters officials raised the green two feet so they could bring in a tough pin position near the water.

Most players tried to play safe to the right, but it left them a tough chip looking directly at the water.

Defending champ falls short

Defending champion Mark O'Meara said it would take a miracle for him to come-from-behind to win a second green jacket. He got a 6-over-par 78 instead.

O'Meara's rounds of 70-76-60-78 left him 5-over 293 for the championship.

"I'm proud of the way I defended my championship," O'Meara said. "My putter was off this week. But I hung in there good until today. I tried to give it a great defense but I just didn't play that well."

Franco gets another invite

Top-16 finishers are invited back to the Masters next year and that includes Carlos Franco of Paraguay, who is playing his first year on the PGA Tour.

The top 16 -- with Masters champions excluded -- are Franco, Greg Norman, Steve Pate, Davis Love III, Bob Estes, David Duval, Phil Mickelson, Lee Westwood, Nick Price, Jim Furyk, Colin Montgomerie, Brandel Chamblee, Bill Glasson, Chris McCarron, Brandt Jobe, Lee Janzen and Justin Leonard.

Ties are included in the calculations.

Tiger not on the prowl

Woods, the 1997 Masters champion, was never a factor.

He finished with a 75 for a 289 total, 1 over.

"I hit a lot of great shots and a lot of ugly ones," Woods said. "I just didn't make the putts or give myself a lot of opportunities."

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