PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Stephen Ames went from making fun of Tiger Woods to winning like him.

Ames delivered a major performance Sunday on the treacherous TPC at Sawgrass, blowing away the strongest field in golf with a 5-under 67 to win The Players Championship by six shots and earn an unlikely trip to the Masters.

Ames made only one mistake, a double bogey on the 10th hole when he took two shots to get out of the bunker, and it looked as if he would have to battle his nerves along the scary back nine of the Stadium Course.

Instead, he poured it on with impeccable shots that stretched his lead so much that the tiny island of a 17th green was only another hole on his way to a dominant victory.

“Except for the 10th hole, I played a flawless round,” Ames said. “It felt like a walk in the park.”

Ames finished at 14-under 274, six shots clear of two-time U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen, who closed with a 69.

The scoring average was 75.378, the second-toughest Sunday in Sawgrass history. Despite playing in the final group, Ames was eight shots better and had the best score of the day.

He earned $1.44 million for his second PGA Tour victory, and also got a three-year exemption to the Masters.

First up is a family vacation to Orlando with his two children and wife, Jodi, who is recovering from lung cancer that was detected a week after the British Open.

And the Masters?

“I’ve got to sit down and think about that at this time,” Ames said.

Only a month ago, the 41-year-old from Trinidad was lampooned for teasing Woods before facing him in the first round of the Match Play Championship, saying anything he could happen, “especially where he’s hitting the ball.”

Woods read his remarks, then sent Ames into the record books with a 9-and-8 victory, the shortest match mathematically possible over 18 holes.

Ames was reminded of those comments throughout the Florida swing, but not anymore. He’s The Players champion, the winner of the tournament considered golf’s fifth major because of the strong field and demanding test.

His victory on a sun-baked afternoon was reminiscent of some of Woods’ dominant victories in the majors – build a lead early, and let everyone else collapse trying to chase him.