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Cape Town - Legendary South African golfer Gary Player has heaped praise on countryman Charl Schwartzel for his performance at this year’s Masters.
A four-under par final round of 68 saw Schwartzel finish third at the year’s first major at Augusta National, three shots behind Spain’s Sergio Garcia and England’s Justin Rose.
Garcia went on to win his first major after beating Rose at the first playoff hole.
Player, who is South Africa’s most successful golfer with nine major titles, took to Twitter to congratulate the players.
He wrote to Schwartzel in Afrikaans, saying he was "very proud" of his performance.
Schwartzel won the Masters in 2011, but had largely gone under the radar this weekend, with much of the focus on American hopefuls Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler.
Fowler was only one shot behind leaders Garcia and Rose heading into Sunday's final round, while Spieth was a shot further back.
But the American duo ran out of steam, with respective scores of 76 and 75 seeing them finish tied for 11th.
Baie trots aan u @CA_Schwartzel
— Gary Player (@garyplayer) April 9, 2017
Player also lauded Garcia and Rose:
Increíble @TheSergioGarcia! Celebro tu triunfo como si fuera mio. GP
— Gary Player (@garyplayer) April 9, 2017
Super!! @JustinRose99
— Gary Player (@garyplayer) April 9, 2017
Scores after Sunday's final round of the 81st Masters at par-72 Augusta National Golf Club (Garcia wins with birdie on first playoff hole):
279 - Justin Rose (ENG) 71-72-67-69, Sergio Garcia (ESP) 71-69-70-69
282 - Charl Schwartzel (RSA) 74-72-68-68
283 - Matt Kuchar (USA) 72-73-71-67, Thomas Pieters (BEL) 72-68-75-68
284 - Paul Casey (ENG) 72-75-69-68
285 - Kevin Chappell (USA) 71-76-70-68, Rory McIlroy (NIR) 72-73-71-69
286 - Adam Scott (AUS) 75-69-69-73, Ryan Moore (USA) 74-69-69-74
287 - Hideki Matsuyama (JPN) 76-70-74-67, Russell Henley (USA) 71-76-71-69, Brooks Koepka (USA) 74-73-71-69, Rickie Fowler (USA) 73-67-71-76, Jordan Spieth (USA) 75-69-68-75
288 - Martin Kaymer (GER) 78-68-74-68, Steve Stricker (USA) 75-73-72-68
289 - Pat Perez (USA) 74-74-70-71, Fred Couples (USA) 73-70-74-72, Jimmy Walker (USA) 76-71-70-72, Lee Westwood (ENG) 70-77-68-74
290 - Jason Day (AUS) 74-76-69-71, Justin Thomas (USA) 73-76-71-70, Phil Mickelson (USA) 71-73-74-72, William McGirt (USA) 69-73-74-74, Charley Hoffman (USA) 65-75-72-78
291 - Brendan Steele (USA) 74-73-75-69, Daniel Berger (USA) 77-73-72-69, Branden Grace (RSA) 76-74-71-70, Brandt Snedeker (USA) 75-74-69-73, Jon Rahm (ESP) 73-70-73-75
292 - Matthew Fitzpatrick (ENG) 71-78-73-70
293 - An Byeong-Hun (KOR) 76-73-74-70, Francesco Molinari (ITA) 78-72-71-72, Jason Dufner (USA) 71-76-70-76
294 - Adam Hadwin (CAN) 75-74-75-70, Stewart Hagestad (USA) 74-73-74-73, Brian Stuard (USA) 77-70-74-73, Bill Haas (USA) 75-72-71-76, Soren Kjeldsen (DEN) 72-73-71-78
295 - Louis Oosthuizen (RSA) 77-71-76-71, Ross Fisher (ENG) 76-74-74-71
296 - Marc Leishman (AUS) 73-74-78-71, Bernd Wiesberger (AUT) 77-72-76-71, Kevin Kisner (USA) 74-75-74-73
297 - Curtis Luck (AUS) 78-72-75-72, Daniel Summerhays (USA) 74-75-75-73
298 - Andy Sullivan (ENG) 71-78-76-73, James Hahn (USA) 75-75-75-73
299 - J.B. Holmes (USA) 78-72-73-76
300 - Emiliano Grillo (ARG) 79-70-73-78
305 - Larry Mize (USA) 74-76-79-76
308 - Ernie Els (RSA) 72-75-83-78
