Just one break, that's all Davis Love III needed.

One time for his ball to find its way into the cup with destiny waiting in the wings. The way Mark O'Meara's did last year on No. 18 or Larry Mize's had in 1987, on that miraculous 140-foot chip shot in a playoff against Greg Norman.

The Augusta National Golf Club's leaderboard swelled with names moving up and down in Sunday's final round of the 63rd Masters Tournament. Love played the front nine even on Sunday, positioning himself for the shot he desperately needed.

Norman and Jose Maria Olazabal were entrenched atop the green-and-white leaderboard all day. They were in the pairing behind Love.

The 1995 Masters runner-up sensed it was time to attack when he stepped onto the par-3 16th tee, two shots behind Olazabal's 7-under-par pace. His tee shot veered left, seemingly out of position to make even a par.

But Love used the slope of the 16th green as a backboard and pitched the ball past the hole. It teetered slowly back down toward the hole and clunked in.

``I hit it up the hill and let it do a U-turn, and then I begged it into the hole all the way down the hill,'' Love said.

Love, who turns 35 on Tuesday, hoped his birdie would provide the boost he needed to claim his first green jacket. It placed him one stroke behind leader Olazabal. But Olazabal was unwavering on the back nine, recording three birdies to clinch his second Masters championship with an 8-under-par 280 performance.

``When it went in, I went running up the hill, and everybody was screaming,'' Love said. ``At first, I was excited and shocked. Then you want them to keep screaming because the guys back the hole before -- you want them to hear something great's happened.

``Just like I got a couple of times from them.''

For a few moments, Love trailed Olazabal by one stroke. One. The same number he trailed Ben Crenshaw at the completion of the 1995 Masters. Love fired a 66 on that Sunday, but Crenshaw held by shooting 68.

By the time Love reached No. 18 Sunday, Olazabal had birdied No. 16, and Love had one more opportunity to apply the pressure. He needed to put the crowd into a frenzy, send a roar down the 18th fairway to let the last pairing know they weren't alone in the hunt.

He wouldn't get it. His birdie putt rolled over the lip of the cup without so much as a shiver. Love settled for par, and Olazabal's 1994 green jacket would get a partner.

``I didn't feel like I had a chance when I finished,'' Love said. ``When I missed the putt at 18, I knew he could make a bogey on 17 and make a par at 18. I needed to make that putt.''

Love kept himself in contention by saving himself on No. 13. His tee shot landed in a tributary to Rae's Creek. The ball was unplayable and after a one-stroke penalty, Love responded by parring the hole with a 25-foot putt.

That missed birdie opportunity coupled with his near-birdie on No. 18 left Love 6-under par and alone in second place.

``I'm pleased to have played another Masters and to have a chance to get nervous on the weekend,'' Love said. ``There's nothing like standing in the middle of the 11th fairway or on the 12th tee. There's no feeling as scary as that.''