He grabbed the wheel and held on tight, for Trevor Immelman knew it was going to be a wild ride.
It started with a voice message from his hero, Gary Player, the first South African to win the Masters, who told Immelman to believe in himself and keep his head still on putts.
“It gave me goosebumps,” he said.
It ended with a three-stroke victory over Tiger Woods, tears in Immelman’s eyes and a green jacket draped across his shoulders.
Was that one of the best 75s in the final round of any major championship?
I’m not joking. Immelman had several opportunities to join the power slide down the leader board Sunday, but, save for a bad swing and double-bogey at No. 16, he never relented.
Apparently, the only voice in his head was that of Player, who 30 years ago won the last of his three Masters titles and wondered when, or if, a countryman would ever join him at the Wednesday night champions’ dinners.
Ernie Els has experienced heartbreak here. Ditto for Retief Goosen. Between them, they’ve won four U.S. Opens and a British Open and have carried the torch of South African passed on by Player.
Right now, Immelman is the best player from South Africa. And he’s got a Green Jacket to prove it, holding off Woods for added emphasis.
“I don’t think it’s ever easy to win a major in any era. But, as you say, I’m playing in Tiger Woods’ era,” Immelman said.
“The guy boggles my mind. This guy is frightening in what he gets done, how he gets it done and the ease in which he gets it done. It’s just crazy to think how many majors he’s going to win.”
Woods would have won this one if only he had fired a 68, or what Migual Angel Jimenez carded in the first twosome Sunday. It would have been a phenomenal score amid the late afternoon winds, but that’s what we’ve come to expect from Woods.
Instead he shot 72.
Like Woods, Gary Player trailed by six strokes entering the final round back in 1978.
Player shot 64.
Let’s not be too picky. Hey, if Immelman doesn’t double-bogey the 16th, he shoots 73.
No matter. He’s the Masters champion.
And the best of South Africa.
“This tournament is such a big deal down in South Africa," Immelman said. "We grow up idolizing this event. As kids, we dream about winning this tournament. Ernie and all those guys, they still have many opportunities to win this event. I wouldn’t be surprised if they get it done at some point.”
