Why Sir Alex Ferguson lost it over Danny Willett's Masters victory

Sir Alex Ferguson tells David Willett he lost a large sum of money as a result of Willett's win. Photo / BBC

As Jordan Spieth's Masters defence came crashing to a halt at the 12th hole on Sunday, it was difficult to believe anybody could feel quite as pig-sick as the 22-year-old, who had turned as green as the jacket he was trying to defend.

But it's likely that Sir Alex Ferguson was also left feeling rather despondent after Spieth's horror on the back nine, after it emerged that the former Manchester United manager had bet the considerable sum of £8000 ($16,590) on Spieth to win the tournament.

And even more galling was the fact that the man who surged up the leader board during the fourth round to topple Spieth - and to cost Fergie his eight grand - was Danny Willett, who happens to be a die-hard Liverpool supporter.

The BBC caught the moment that Fergie revealed his lost bet to none other than Willett himself, although the Scot doesn't seems to have recovered from his loss, telling the Augusta champion that "I'm so delighted, and happy to throw it all away."

Willett at first feels compelled to apologise to the legendary manager, before wryly adding: "You need to know where to put your money!"

Ferguson is a die-hard golf fan, and was in attendance for all four days of the Masters, where he watched Willett become the first Britain to win the tournament since Sir Nick Faldo, in 1996.

And he later told reporters of the moment that the fourth round swung in Willett's favour.

"The excitement today; I was at the 15th when there was a rumble and the scoreboard went up and Spieth's [lead went from] five to one and the excitement was unbelievable," Ferguson said.

"I looked at Danny Willett, who was on the 16th tee, and he went to the toilet - unbelievable. It was a fantastic moment because he has his own thoughts and at that very moment he goes to the toilet and he is on his own. What was he thinking about?"

Ferguson was never far from the thick of the action, as Manchester United supporter Rory McIlroy revealed that he was treated to a pre-round Fergie pep-talk on Sunday morning.