Tiger Woods became just the third man to successfully defend his Masters title with a three-stroke victory over Retief Goosen on Sunday.

　　Tiger Woods is now 7-0 when holding a lead after 54 holes in a major. Woods shot a final-round 71 to finish at 12-under 276, giving him seven major championships and three green jackets.

　　Woods got off to a fast start with birdies on three of his first six holes. But his pursuers went the other direction. One by one they fell out of contention, making the back nine an easy stroll for Woods, who has won six of the past 10 major championships.

　　Scoring conditions were difficult on Sunday at the overhauled Augusta National, with just one player in the 60s -- Shigeki Maruyama's early 67.

　　Retief Goosen, who began the final round tied with Woods, bogeyed the first hole and was never a factor. He rallied with a pair of late birdies to finish with a 74, three shots behind Woods.

　　"After the front nine, I knew it was all over for me. I just tried really hard for second," Goosen said. "It is obviously difficult playing with Tiger."

　　Phil Mickelson was third after a wild front nine included three birdies, three bogeys and three pars. He finished with a 71 and heads to the U.S. Open in June still searching for a major championship.

　　Ernie Els and Vijay Singh made the closest runs at Woods, but both blew up on par-5s on the back nine. Els made 8 on the 13th after twice going in Rae's Creek.

　　Singh also went in the water on No. 13, but salvaged a par. He wasn't so lucky on the 15th,swhereshe layed up, put consecutive chipssintosthe water and walked off with a 9.

　　Els eventually tied for fifth, with Singh slipping back to seventh.

　　Jose Maria Olazabal, a two-time winner at Augusta, shot his second consecutive 71 to finish fourth.

　　Woods became the first player to repeat as Masters champion since Nick Faldo in 1990. Jack Nicklaus was the only other, in 1965-66.