Tiger Woods makes fierce comeback, wins the Masters for 15th major title

Golf - Masters - Augusta National Golf Club - Augusta, Georgia, U.S. - April 14, 2019. Tiger Woods of the U.S. celebrates on the 18th hole to win the 2019 Masters. [Reuters]

Tiger Woods won the 83rd Masters on Sunday, capturing his 15th major title to cement an epic return from scandal and injuries that once threatened his career.

Woods, who started the day two shots behind Francesco Molinari, fired a final-round 70 for a 13-under par total of 275 and a one-shot win over Dustin Johnson, Xander Schauffele and Brooks Koepka.

Woods, clad in bright red, raised his club and fist to the sky then hugged his mother and two children after sinking a short bogey putt to seal the win as the crowd erupted in chants of "Tiger! Tiger! Tiger!"

Woods had birdied the par-five 15th hole to take a one-shot lead and stretched it to two strokes with a birdie at the par-three 16th as Molinari's challenge faced with double bogeys at 12 and 15.

Tiger Woods [Reuters]

Woods's majestic march to victory was made to the accompaniment of the roars of the Augusta National crowds -- those watching him and those who saw his name go up atop the leaderboards around the course.

The 14 years between his fourth Masters triumph and his fifth topped the previous longest gap of 13 years between Gary Player's 1961 win and his 1974 title.