Trevor Immelman survived a double-bogey at the 16th hole to become the first South African to win the US Masters in 30 years with a three-shot victory.

Maintaining his composure in swirling winds at Augusta National, the 28-year-old got up and down from a greenside bunker to par 17 before parring the last to seal his first major title.

Two ahead of the chasing pack overnight, Immelman followed in the footsteps of his childhood hero Gary Player to secure the prized green jacket with a three-over-par 75.

World number one Tiger Woods, four-times champion at Augusta and the overwhelming favourite at the start of the week, had to settle for second place after closing with a 72.

Six strokes off the pace going into the final round, Woods struggled to make headway in his bid for a 14th major title.

He offset three birdies with three bogeys to finish at five-under 283, dashing his bid for a unique calendar grand slam of the four professional majors.

Padraig Harrington finished as the leading European player, the Open champion signing for a fine round of 72 to share fifth place on two-under.

The Dubliner had moved to four-under early in his round, but dropped shots on the 9th, 11th and 14th meant he was unable to impose himself at the business end of the leaderboard.

Immelman, who four months ago had emergency surgery to remove a non-cancerous tumour on his diaphragm, was briefly caught by playing partner Brandt Snedeker after two holes.

Both players bogeyed the par-four first after failing to reach the green in two before the mop-haired Snedeker rolled in a 40-footer to eagle the par-five second.

Immelman parred the hole after failing to get up and down from the right greenside bunker for birdie.

Although Immelman birdied the par-four fifth after hitting a superb approach to four feet, he squandered an opportunity to forge five ahead when he narrowly missed a three-foot birdie putt at the seventh.

The South African dropped another shot at the par-five eighth where he was bunkered off the tee before three-putting from long range, but did well to save par at the ninth with an up-and-down from the left greenside bunker.

Out in one-over-par 37, he offset a bogey at the treacherous 12th with his birdie at the 13th to stay well ahead of his challengers.

Although he pulled his tee shot into the pond guarding the left of the 16th green on his way to a double-bogey six, he held his nerve over the closing stretch to win the biggest title of his career.

Collated final totals  (US unless stated)

280 Trevor Immelman (Rsa) 68 68 69 75

283 Tiger Woods 72 71 68 72

284 Stewart Cink 72 69 71 72, Brandt Snedeker 69 68 70 77

286 Phil Mickelson 71 68 75 72, Steve Flesch 72 67 69 78, Padraig Harrington
(Irl) 74 71 69 72

287 Robert Karlsson (Swe) 70 73 71 73, Andres Romero (Arg) 72 72 70 73, Miguel
Angel Jimenez (Spa) 77 70 72 68

288 Paul Casey (Eng) 71 69 69 79, Nick Watney 75 70 72 71, Lee Westwood (Eng)
69 73 73 73

289 Vijay Singh (Fij) 72 71 72 74, Sean O'Hair 72 71 71 75, Stuart Appleby
(Aus) 76 70 72 71

290 Mike Weir (Can) 73 68 75 74, Retief Goosen (Rsa) 71 71 72 76, Henrik
Stenson (Swe) 74 72 72 72

291 Justin Leonard 72 74 72 73, Zach Johnson 70 76 68 77, Boo Weekley 72 74 68
77, Bubba Watson 74 71 73 73, Brian Bateman 69 76 72 74

292 Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) 71 74 72 75, Arron Oberholser 71 70 74 77, J.B.
Holmes 73 70 73 76, Adam Scott (Aus) 75 71 70 76, Ian Poulter (Eng) 70 69 75 78,
Angel Cabrera (Arg) 73 72 73 74, Stephen Ames (Can) 70 70 77 75, Richard Sterne
(Rsa) 73 72 73 74

293 Jim Furyk 70 73 73 77, Nick Dougherty (Eng) 74 69 74 76, Heath Slocum 71 76
77 69

295 Justin Rose (Eng) 68 78 73 76, Todd Hamilton 74 73 75 73, Johnson Wagner 72
74 74 75

296 Niclas Fasth (Swe) 75 70 76 75, Geoff Ogilvy (Aus) 75 71 76 74

298 KJ Choi (Kor) 72 75 78 73

299 Robert Allenby (Aus) 72 74 72 81, David Toms 73 74 72 80

300 Ian Woosnam (Wal) 75 71 76 78

302  Sandy Lyle (Sco) 72 75 78 77