AUGUSTA, United States, (Yonhap) -- South Korean golfer Choi Kyoung-ju tied for eighth place at 8-under at the Masters Tournament here Sunday, finishing as the top South Korean at the season's first major championship.

In the final round, Choi mixed three birdies with three bogeys to shoot an even-par 72 for the day and end at 8-under for the tournament. He finished six shots behind winner Charl Schwartzel, who was Choi's playing partner in the penultimate pairing of the day. It was Choi's second straight top-10 finish at the Masters.

At Augusta National Golf Club, Choi began the final round at 8-under, four strokes behind the third-round leader Rory McIlroy in a four-way tie for second place. The 40-year-old South Korean made six straight pars before picking up a birdie on the seventh and another on the ninth to move into a tie for second.

With McIlroy falling apart, Choi took a share of the lead at 10-under with four other golfers on the 12th, but he committed his first bogey of the day on that par-3 hole after missing the green.

After settling for par on the par-5 13th, Choi got one shot back with a birdie on 15th. But Choi closed with bogeys on the final two holes to drop back to 8-under for the tournament.

Afterward, Choi said he had "no regrets" because he gave everything he had.

"It was a day of very competitive and exciting golf, and I always thought I had a chance to win," Choi said. "I thought a 5-under today would win the title and I got close to it. But the missed approach to the 17th green was disappointing."

He said his putting held him back in the end.

"I couldn't convert birdie chances that I should have and misread some putts," he said. "I will build on this experience to try harder. I am accustomed to the heat of the battle down the stretch against world class golfers, and if I can improve on a few things, I think I can win the title next year."

During the compelling final round, seven golfers held at least a share of the lead, but South African Schwartzel birdied the final four holes to capture his first Masters. He was two strokes better than Adam Scott and Jason Day, both of Australia.

Tiger Woods made a huge charge with four birdies and an eagle on the front nine, but ended up four shots behind the champion.

McIlroy, a 21-year-old from Northern Ireland, collapsed with an 8-over 80 in the final round, with a triple bogey on the 10th and a double bogey on the 12th, and ended in a tie for 15th.

Among four South Koreans in the field, three -- Choi, Yang Yong-eun and Kim Kyung-tae -- made the cut, while amateur Jeong Yeon-jin missed by five shots.

Yang, battling some shoulder problems over the weekend, shot his second straight 73 on Sunday to finish at 3-under, in a tie for 20th. Kim, making his Masters debut, fired a four-under 68, his best round of the week, to tie for 44th.

Yang, who shot 67 on the first day but never broke 70 the rest of the way, said the week had been "a valuable learning experience."

"It's been a tough week, but I won't get down too much," said Yang, the 2009 PGA Championship winner as the only Asian to win one of golf's four major titles.

"I've gained a lot from this week," Yang added. "I played well in the first round, but I couldn't keep it up. Perhaps it was some pressure. But I am playing well in the early part of the season and so there's no reason to be disappointed."

Kim, who won the money title on the Japanese men's tour last year, said his putting was a bit off at Augusta.

"I got to experience those fast greens here," he said. "I am going to be playing eight weeks in a row and I will give my best."