Louis Oosthuizen just misses out on US MastersBy AFP | Monday, April 9  2012 at  14:32

The wonder shot played by Louis Oosthuizen for a rare albatross on the second hole of Sunday's final round in the US Masters ironically may have held him back, the South African said.

Oosthuizen lost to American Bubba Watson in a thrilling sudden-death play-off Sunday.

It was only the fourth double eagle -- a two on a par-five -- in Masters history and at that stage propelled the stocky South African into a two-shot lead, having started the day three shots behind leader Peter Hanson of Sweden.

But he promptly dropped a shot on the next hole and did not make another birdie until the 13th before going on to lose a heartbreaker to Bubba Watson on the second hole in the playoff.

"You know, it was tough after that double eagle," he said, referring to his tremendous four-iron from 253 yards effort at the 575-yard hole.

"I mean, you know, when something like that happens early in your round, you think that this is it. That was my first double eagle ever.

"So it was tough. It was tough the next five holes to just get my head around it and just play the course.

"But I felt like I found my rhythm going down 11, and you know, played well in from there."

The 29-year-old from Mossel Bay on the southern coast of South Africa was a runaway winner of the British Open at St Andrews in 2010 and great things were predicted for a player who has one of the purest swings in golf.

But injuries held him back after that and it was only in the last few weeks that he has been back to playing at his best.