Olazabal celebrates his first major win. (Allsport)

Jose Maria Olazabal finally and dramatically ended his long wait for a major title at the US Masters - and made it six wins in seven fantastic years for Europe's golfers at Augusta.

The 28-year-old Spaniard followed where Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer, Sandy Lyle, Nick Faldo and Ian Woosnam had magnificently led with a two-stroke triumph.

Olazabal, runner-up to Woosnam three years ago, sank a spectacular 40-foot eagle putt at the 15th to move two shots clear, but then bogeyed the 17th - only his second dropped shot in 55 holes - to set up a nail-biting climax.

In 1991 he bogeyed the 18th but this time it was Lehman who did. Olazabal saw his playing partner drive into sand and come up short of the green, and the Spaniard then fired his approach into the crowd.

However, he played a delicate chip to five feet and when Lehman missed from 15 feet he had two putts for it. He needed only one and punched the air indelight.

Olazabal, who was three over par after 17 holes on day one, shot three closing rounds of 67-69-69 to finish on the nine under par total of 279 and was helped into the coveted green jacket by Langer at the presentation ceremony afterwards. One European Ryder Cup man to another - it has become a familiar scene.

Lehman, the overnight leader, finished second on seven under after a 72 while 1987 winner Larry Mize (71) was third and Tom Kite (71) fourth. There were six Americans in the leading seven, but the man at the top was once again from the other side of the Atlantic.

Olazabal's eagle putt, achieved after his ball had only just made it across the lake, put him two clear of Lehman who then missed a four-foot birdie chance on the next green.

Twenty-four hours earlier the 35-year-old, who has never won on the United States tour but was third on his Masters debut last year, had made a 50-footer there, but when this one slipped by the crown was in Olazabal's grasp.

However, he went over the green at the 17th and missed from nine feet to allow his lead to be trimmed to one and the drama went right to the end.

Scotland's Sam Torrance failed in his last day objective - to climb into the top 24 and so earn a return trip next April. The 40-year-old had a 74 and finished on nine over 297.

Nick Faldo, falling well short of his expectations, equalled the worst total of his 11 Masters. The twice former champion had a 74 for 296, while Sandy Lyle shot 73 for 299 and Ian Woosnam 75 for 301.

The day had started with American Jeff Maggert scoring only the third albatross in the history of the tournament.

Maggert, first man out on the final day, came to the 485-yard 13th at 19 over par and walked to the next tee 16 over after seeing his three-iron second shot sail over Rae's Creek and roll into the hole.

It was the first two on the hole in 58 years of the Masters. Gene Sarazen achieved a two at the 15th in the last round in 1935 - he went on to win the tournament and the albatross was dubbed "the shot heard around the world'' - and in 1967 Australian Bruce Devlin made two at the 535-yard eighth.

Maggert still finished with only a 75 and 17 over total of 305. He had a double bogey five on the 12th, but that was not the highest score of the day there. Another American, Mike Standly, ran up a quintuple bogey eight.

Olazabal said: "This is a dream come true. I've worked hard for a few years to achieve this and in the end I got it. I couldn't be a happier man.

"After the eagle I tried to keep cool and when Lehman missed the putt on the 16th I told myself this was the best chance I would ever have.

"When I bogeyed the 17th I said I had better be careful and to win is just fantastic.''

Final collated totals (US unless stated):

(x) denotes amateur

279 J M Olazabal (Spain) 74 67 69 69 (£248,275)

281 T Lehman 70 70 69 72 (£148,965)

282 L Mize 68 71 72 71 (£93,793)

283 T Kite 69 72 71 71 (£66,206)

285 J Haas 72 72 72 69, L Roberts 75 68 72 70, J McGovern 72 70 71 72

286 C Pavin 71 72 73 70, E Els (SA) 74 67 74 71

287 J Huston 72 72 74 69, R Floyd 70 74 71 72, I Baker-Finch (Aus) 71 71 71 74

288 T Watson 70 71 73 74

289 D Forsman 74 66 76 73

291 M O'Meara 75 70 76 70, B Faxon 71 73 73 74, C Beck 71 71 75 74

292 S Ballesteros (Spain) 70 76 75 71, H Irwin 73 68 79 72, B Glasson 72 73 75 72, B Crenshaw 74 73 73 72, L Wadkins 73 74 73 72, D Edwards 73 72 73 74, G Norman (Aus) 70 70 75 77

293 B Langer (Ger) 74 74 72 73, J Sluman 74 75 71 73

294 S Simpson 74 74 73 73, C Strange 74 70 75 75, V Singh (Fiji) 70 75 74 75

295 L Janzen 75 71 76 73, C Parry (Aus) 75 74 73 73

296 N Faldo (GB) 76 73 73 74

297 S Torrance (GB) 76 73 74 74, R Cochran 71 74 74 78

298 N Price (Zimb) 74 73 74 77, D Frost (SA) 74 71 75 78, F Zoeller 74 72 74 78

299 S Lyle (GB) 75 73 78 73, F Funk 79 70 75 75, F Allem (SA) 69 77 76 77

300 C Rocca (Italy) 79 70 78 73, M Standly 77 69 79 75, A Magee 74 74 76 76, H Meshiai (Jap) 71 71 80 78, W Grady (Aus) 74 73 73 80

301 I Woosnam (GB) 76 73 77 75, J Cook 77 72 77 75

304 J Daly 76 73 77 78, H Twitty 73 76 74 81

305 J Maggert 75 73 82 75, (x) J Harris 72 76 80 77