Augusta, Ga. ? Surely one of these days Chris DiMarco will be leading a major when it counts.

But give him his due this time: He stared down Tiger Woods in one of the greatest duels in Masters history.

Matching Woods almost shot for shot in an epic showdown, DiMarco overcame a two-stroke deficit in the final two holes Sunday, nearly holing out a chip at No. 18 that would have claimed his first major championship.

In the end, it wasn’t quite enough. DiMarco forced a playoff, but could only make par on the first extra hole. Then he could only watch as Woods rolled in a 15-foot birdie to win his fourth Masters and ninth major overall.

DiMarco keeps contending in the biggest tournaments — especially at Augusta. He has led at the end of a round five times in five years, including both the 18- and 36-hole marks of this one.

For the second year in a row, he played in the final group at the Masters. For the second straight major, he was involved in a playoff.

“This was a good gut check for me,” DiMarco said. “I felt like I proved a lot to myself.”

Chris DiMarco, left, congratulates Tiger Woods after Woods won the 2005 Masters in a playoff. Woods claimed his fourth green jacket Sunday in Augusta, Ga

Last August, DiMarco was matched against Justin Leonard and Vijay Singh in a three-hole playoff at the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits.

Singh birdied the first extra hole and parred the next two for the victory. DiMarco had to be content with a closing 71, the lone player in the last nine groups to break par.