
There will be a new Masters champion being fitted with a Green Jacket Sunday night.
How do I know?
Well, for one thing, Trevor Immelman, Brandt Snedeker, Steve Flesch and Paul Casey have not won a Masters.
Really, you ask.
Yes. And did anybody see Immelman’s approach shot at No. 15 spin off the green, roll down the bank toward the water, gather speed and …
STAY DRY!
“I was begging for it to stop,” said Immelman, who saved par with a nice chip and short putt and owns a two-stroke lead heading into Sunday. “I knew there was a chance it was going to go in the water. I couldn’t quite believe it when it stayed up.”
It’s that kind of good fortune that goes a long way at Augusta National.
Skill plays a starring role, too. And now, only Tiger Woods can prevent one of those four players from joining Zach Johnson as the second consecutive first-time champion.
Still, don’t forget this: Woods, amazingly, has never come from behind in the final round to win any of his 13 majors. He also hasn’t broken 70 on a Sunday here since his second Masters title in 2001, when he fired a 68.
No matter. In six years since then, he’s still won twice, shooting 71 in 2002 and 71 in 2005, his last victory, which required beating Chris DiMarco in a playoff.
Six strokes behind Immelman, two back of Casey, Woods will be paired with Stewart Cink and likely will need a 65 or 66 in the final round to secure a fifth green jacket.
He’ll need some help from those above him, too.
“I got a lot of work to do,” Woods said. “The conditions are supposed to be pretty blustery (Sunday) and a little cooler. Again, you got to hang in there and be patient out there because it doesn’t take much to make a high number here.”
So here’s how the 72nd Masters stands:
Immelman: 11-under.
Snedeker: 9-under.
Flesch 8-under.
Casey: 7-under.
Woods: 5-under.
Take a look.
You tell me.

