Masters 2012: day four – in pictures

This lady looks like she's been to a fair few masters down the decades. With that much experience, maybe she can predict the winner this year? Will it be the leader, Peter Hanson, who starts at nine under? Or one of the chasing pack, which includes Phil Mickelson (eight under) and Louis Ooosthuizen (seven under)? Photograph: Andrew Redington/Getty Images

One player who's not in the running is the pre-tournament favourite Rory McIlroy. He had a torrid round yesterday and begins in similar fashion with a bogey on the first. A round of 76 makes for an ugly end to a pretty miserable week for the Northern Irishman Photograph: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

This Masters was billed as a tussle between Tiger Woods and McIlroy. In the end they've both been as poor as one another - Woods shoots two over in his final round to finish the tournament five over par alongside McIlroy Photograph: Andrew Redington/Getty Images

The main contenders are out last. Here, Peter Hanson of Sweden lets fly, but bogeys the first and third Photograph: Mike Segar/Reuters

The second hole is the scene of a magical moment as Oosthuizen strikes a double eagle (an albatross to you and me) at the par five. It was a glorious approach shot which dropped onto the fringe of the green and then travelled a good 40 feet before plopping into the cup. Inch perfect Photograph: Tannen Maury/EPA

The South African takes his cap off as the crowd give him a standing ovation Photograph: Tannen Maury/EPA

The same can't be said of Phil Mickelson. He wallops his tee-shot into the grandstand at the fourth hole and the ball springs into the air before nestling in an adjacent crop of bamboo. That shot was so far off course it was ridiculous. He'd better hope he can find it Photograph: Brian Snyder/Reuters

Mickelson eventually spots his ball a couple of feet inside the bamboo. And in a move reminiscent of Jean Van de Velde's breakdown at the 1999 Open, he decides to take on a seemingly impossible challenge, hitting right-handed with a left-handed club instead of simply heading back to the tee. His first attempt to fish his ball out of the bamboo fails miserably - instead it moves barely a foot. His second attempt (pictured here) sweeps the ball onto a nearby path ... Photograph: Brian Snyder/Reuters

... and his next shot ditches the ball into a green-side bunker. Good one Phil Photograph: Charlie Riedel/AP

At last, the American finds some composure and pitches miraculously from the sand trap to within an easy putt of the hole. He's down in six. Shame it was a par three Photograph: Brian Snyder/Reuters

Padraig Harrington is one of a number of players making a charge. He moves to five under after nine holes, with Lee Westwood (four under) and Ian Poulter (five under) also in the hunt Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters

Mickelson looks dispirited. But he pulls himself back to six under by the halfway point. Bubba Watson has moved to seven under alongside Hanson, with Oosthuizen the outright leader at nine under Photograph: Mark Blinch/Reuters

Westwood is in sparkling form on the back nine and moves to seven under par with three birdies in a row - he's now one shot off the leader, Oosthuizen Photograph: David Cannon/Getty Images

Poulter, likewise, is really in contention now. He's six under with two holes of his round remaining, though his rivals are further back on the course.

Live leaderboard at 22.45pm BST: Oosthuizen -8, Westwood -7, Kuchar -7, Poulter -6, Watson -6, Hanson -6, Mickelson -6, Harrington -5.
Photograph: Andrew Redington/Getty Images

Oosthuizen birdies the 13th ... then Kuchar almost chips in on 15. It's getting so close out there

Live leaderboard at 23.00pm BST: Oosthuizen -9, Westwood -7, Kuchar -7, Watson -7, Mickelson -7, Poulter -6, Harrington -6, Hanson -6.
Photograph: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Kuchar (pictured), the hometown boy, sinks his eagle putt on the 15th to take a share of the lead. Then Watson joins the lead with birdies on the 14th and the 15th ... but Oosthuizen responds swiftly with a birdie on 16. Thrilling stuff! Meanwhile, on 18, Westwood ends with a birdie and Poulter misses an easy par putt

Live leaderboard at 23.15pm BST: Oosthuizen -10, Kuchar -9, Watson -9, Westwood -8, Mickelson -7, Harrington -6, Hanson -6, Poulter -5.
Photograph: Andrew Redington/Getty Images

Watson (pictured) and Oosthuizen have the momentum right now. Look how determined Watson seems. He's birdied the 16th - his fourth straight birdie. But Mickelson has pulled one back on the 15th

Live leaderboard at 23.30pm BST: Oosthuizen -10, Watson -10, Mickelson -8, Kuchar -8, Westwood -8, Hanson -7, Harrington -6, Poulter -5.
Photograph: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

It feels like a two horse race as Bubba Watson, in the white, and Louis Oosthuizen, in the green, head to the final hole. Mickelson and Hanson are playing a hole behind them, but surely they can't win it now? What a finale this promises to be ...

Live leaderboard at 23.45pm BST: Oosthuizen -10, Watson -10, Mickelson -8, Kuchar -8, Westwood -8, Hanson -7, Poulter -5, Harrington -4.
Photograph: Mark Blinch/Reuters

Watson and Oosthuizen look nerveless on the 18th. Watson taps home a simple putt and leaves Oosthuizen needing to sink a five-footer ... which he does. Mickelson can only par the last two holes so we're heading for a two-way play-off

Live leaderboard at Midnight BST (after all competitors have completed 72 holes): Oosthuizen -10, Watson -10, Mickelson -8, Kuchar -8, Westwood -8, Hanson -8.
Photograph: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Play-off: In the sudden death play-off, both players shoot the 18th immaculately and both narrowly miss out on birdies Photograph: Jamie Squire/Getty Images

They go on to the 10th, where Watson fires his tee-shot way off course, but Oosthuizen also misses the fairway Photograph: Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Watson finds his ball in the needles but seemingly within range of the pin ... Photograph: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

He then plays the most audacious hook shot to find the green. Is that the shot that earns him the green jacket? Photograph: Mark Blinch/Reuters

Oosthuizen bogeys the hole leaving Watson two shots from ten feet for victory ... and he's in the hole in two! Bubba Watson is the 2012 Masters champion Photograph: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Bubba starts to blubber as he gets a hug from his mother. It's his first Major and, given the style in which he's just won it, he's every reason to be emotional Photograph: guardian.co.uk

And finally he gets to wear his very own green jacket Photograph: guardian.co.uk