Dustin Johnson admitted his emotions threatened to get the better of him as he closed in on a record-breaking win at the 2020 Masters.
The world No. 1 claimed the famous green jacket for the first time after finishing five strokes clear on an historic 20-under-par — the first time any player has reached that mark at Augusta.
It was the 36-year-old's second major triumph and the first since his 2016 victory at the U.S. Open, but he said this was the tournament he always dreamed of winning.
As he and his caddie, younger brother Austin Johnson, closed out a final round of four under, he found it tough to keep his emotions in check as he thought ahead to receiving the iconic blazer from 2019 champion Tiger Woods.
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"It's always tough to get it done in a major, no matter how good you're playing, it's hard," he said. "I was nervous all day; I could feel it. The Masters for me is the biggest, the one I wanted to win the most. I'm proud of the way I handled myself and the way I finished off the tournament.
"Honestly, it still feels like a dream. As a kid, dreaming about winning the Masters, having Tiger put the green jacket on you, it still seems like it's a dream. I'm here; what a great feeling it is. I couldn't be more excited.
A perfect fit. #themasters pic.twitter.com/m8K8wT6RoL
— The Masters (@TheMasters) November 15, 2020
"It's an unbelievable feeling, to experience that with my brother. It's a big help to have him here on my bag. I wouldn't want anyone else there. To share all these memories and moments with him is incredible. I had a jam a little bit on the 18th, he was tearing it up, it made me tear up. I still got to finish this off, I can't be crying!
"I'll remember this for the rest of my life. It's an incredible feeling. I've played unbelievable golf all week. The conditions of the course definitely helped the scoring a little bit. I played really well, today felt really difficult, the wind was very tricky. To have the scoring record, shooting 20 under is a great honor. I'm so excited, it's hard to even talk."
Woods hailed the achievement of a man he says has brought a new level of "athleticism" to golf.
"He's an amazing athlete," Woods said. "He's one of the first guys to ever bring athleticism to our sport.
"DJ has just an amazing ability to stay calm in tough moments, and in order to win this event, and we all know as past champions how hard it is, the emotions we have to deal with out there. There's no one more suited to that, I think, than DJ."