Garcia leaked five bogies in his final round

"I was very frustrated at the start of the last round," he said.

"I played some excellent golf, but kept having 12-footers downhill.

"Considering my grip drove me up the wall all week and I didn't hole that many putts I can't be unhappy."

Ernie Els, the European Order of Merit leader, slipped back to six-under after a disappointing final 73 which included an agonising eight at the long 13th, via the creek.

"I made a terrible swing on the 13th and it cost me the tournament," he said.

"I got greedy. I tried to hook a three-wood round the corner and it's not the shot to play any more. I knew that before the tournament."

Spain's Sergo Garcia had a miserable final round of four-over to finish the tournament in eighth place on four-under.

One shot behind was Garcia's countryman Miguel Angel Jimenez, who closed with a 70 to finish alongside Australia's Adam Scott and Argentine Angel Cabrera.

Former European number one Colin Montgomerie recovered from his opening 75 to card rounds of 71, 70 , 71.

Faldo made his first cut in the Masters since his win in 1996

The Scot finished in a share of 14th on the same mark as three-time former Masters winner Nick Faldo, who compiled rounds of 75, 67, 73, 72.

Faldo is one of only three players to have won back-to-back Green Jackets - in 1989 and 1990 - along with Jack Nicklaus and now Woods.

Also on one-under was Denmark's Thomas Bjorn, who could not emulate his blistering run of five straight birdies from the first on round two and slumped to a closing 76.

In 19th place on his own at level par was Ireland's Paul McGinley, playing in his first Masters, with Ulsterman Darren Clarke one shot further back.

Sweden's Jesper Parnevik finished on three-over with another former winner Bernhard Langer on four-over.

Of those that made the cut, England's Lee Westwood was last but one on nine-over after rounds of 75, 72, 74, 76.