AUGUSTA, Ga. -- The usually tense journey to the 18th green was but another victory lap for Tiger Woods, a sweet stroll along one of golf's most famous fairways to the sound of reverential applause.

If Sunday's drive to greatness amid the Georgia pines was not a coronation like five years ago, this Masters victory certainly was a celebration of another major title, another green coat, another Augusta National conquest.

At the place founded by Bobby Jones and put on the map by Arnold Palmer, Woods shot 1-under-par 71 to win by three strokes over Retief Goosen, joining golf's immortals with seven professional major titles.

It was his third Masters in six years and only Jack Nicklaus (six) and Palmer (four) have won more. He joins Gary Player, Sam Snead, Jimmy Demaret and Nick Faldo with three, becoming just the third player to win consecutive Masters.

"That's pretty neat to be able to have my name mentioned with some of the golfing greats, especially at this tournament," said Woods, who at 26 years is the youngest to win seven major titles. Jack Nicklaus held the record, winning the 1967 U.S. Open at 27.

"This tournament is obviously very historic and very special to all the players. This is a tournament we really want to win, and to be able to put my name on that trophy three times, it's really cool."

Perhaps the idea of putting it on there once is what gets to the best of the rest.

On a day that began with the promise of a shootout among the top-ranked players in the world, it turned into another Woods rout, with barely a challenge -- and without the historical significance of his record 12-shot win in 1997 or the pressure of capturing his fourth straight major a year ago.

Woods, who entered the final round tied with U.S. Open champion Goosen, took the lead on the first hole when Goosen bogeyed. Woods never would be tied again. Goosen shot 74.

Phil Mickelson (71) and Ernie Els (73) made runs at the top with early birdies, but they could not sustain a charge. Mickelson finished third, four shots back, with two-time Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal (71) fourth, five behind. Els, who made triple bogey at the 13th hole, tied for fifth with Padraig Harrington (71).

Vijay Singh (76) was the last player with a chance but bogeys at 11 and 14 and quadruple-bogey 9 at 15 ended any hopes.

It turned into a Masters of disasters.

"The big thing about Tiger is that he's the only leader that you don't have the hope that he'll ever falter," said Mickelson, who got within two shots with birdies at the first two holes, then bogeyed the third and fourth. "When other guys are up there, you know that if you can just stay around there, there's a good chance they might come back two or three shots. But Tiger doesn't ever seem to do that.

"So with that being the case, you know that you have to go after him to make birdies to catch him, which is why I think we saw guys taking aggressive plays and making bogeys and doubles because of it."

Woods, the No. 1-ranked player in the world, finished at 276, 12 under par. He was being pursued by No. 2 (Mickelson), No. 3 (Els), No. 4 (Goosen), No. 5 (Sergio Garcia) and No. 7 (Singh).

Their inability to make a move allowed Woods to cruise. He birdied the second and third holes, then played 1 over the rest of the way. He followed bogey at the fifth by chipping in for birdie at the sixth. At the turn, Woods led by five, and from there, he played conservatively, trying to avoid any big mistakes.

"I keep saying it, you've got to have some good breaks," Woods said. "I played well this week, made some good putts when I really needed them, but I had some good breaks as well."

Others believe there might be more to it.

"Tiger puts a lot of pressure on everyone else," Harrington said. "To be honest, he knows he can go out and play his game. And everybody else feels they have to play a step above themselves to play with Tiger."

"We're not putting it to him," said Davis Love, the first-round leader who finished tied for 14th. "There are guys who can do it but just aren't doing it. There's something going on with him that's not going on with us."

Woods, who earned $1.08-million for the win, has won 23 of 25 PGA Tour events when he has held or shared the third-round lead. And he is 7-0 when leading or tied after 54 holes of a major championship.

Nicklaus once said he thought Woods could win as many Masters as the Golden Bear and Palmer won combined. That means he has seven to go. And who believes it won't happen?

As Masters chairman Hootie Johnson said when handling the honors at the post-tournament ceremony: "I think we're going to wear this jacket out putting it on you."

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