AUGUSTA, Ga. — Only one set of red numbers was on the leaderboard after Sunday’s final round of the Masters. It didn’t belong to Tiger Woods.
On a day when a come-from-behind victory was at hand, hopeful after hopeful reached out, only to grab a handful of misery or see his chances blown away by the gusty winds. Woods shot an even-par 72, a score not nearly good enough to slip on a green jacket, let alone wrap his arms around a Grand Slam.
Instead, the only man with a chance to achieve golf immortality this year is an unassuming 28-year-old whose previous claim to fame was a commercial in which he looked into a bathroom mirror and facetiously asked himself to describe how it felt to win “the coveted FedEx Cup.”
Perhaps that was all Trevor Immelman dared allow himself to dream about during his nascent PGA Tour career. Even after a powerful performance Sunday that was long in guts, if not style, the South African was at a loss to fathom exactly what had transpired and the impact his first major championship victory might have on his life.
“Well, I have no idea. I’m sure it will be good, though,” Immelman said with a laugh.
In reality, playing golf has been gravy for Immelman. Just four months ago he had surgery to remove a benign tumor from his rib cage. While regarded as one of golf’s youthful talents, winning the PGA Tour’s rookie of the year award in 2006, there was some question about whether Immelman would reach his full potential.
The cancer scare changed that.
“You realize that it can get taken away from you so fast,” he said. “One minute, the week before, I’m winning a golf tournament, and the next week I’m lying in a hospital bed.
“You just realize it can get taken away so fast, and if you don’t enjoy every step of the way you might regret it, and that would be sad to regret a talent you were given.”
Although he returned to action less than two months after his surgery, Immelman had played indifferently, missing four cuts and failing to register a top 10 on the PGA Tour.
As recently as last week, Immelman failed to play on the weekend, missing the cut at the Shell Houston Open.
“I was missing cuts but just trying to stay positive because I knew I was improving week after week,” he said. “Here I am after missing the cut last week, the Masters champion. It’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard of.”
Immelman’s final round 75 was the highest Sunday score by a Masters winner since Arnold Palmer’s in 1962. Even so, save for some late drama on the 16th hole, Immelman was never truly threatened. Part of the reason was the foibles suffered by his competitors. More to the point — Immelman was clearly the steadiest player in the field. Beginning with his opening-round 68, Immelman held at least a share of the lead in each of the four days. For the week, he made five bogeys, tying a tournament record. (He did have a double bogey on Sunday.)
The 45 players in the field made 194 bogeys on Sunday alone. Paul Casey was in a tie for third at 8-under after a birdie on the third hole. He then played his next five at 6-over. He finished with a 79. Brandt Snedeker went from 10-under and a tie for the lead after two holes to a 77, finishing at 4-under.
All along the grounds, similar tales were being authored. Only four players, Miguel Angel Jimenez (68), Heath Slocum (69) and Nick Watney and Stuart Appleby (71) broke par.
“It was just a day where you never really felt comfortable,” Snedeker said. “You just never really felt comfortable, no matter how good you were playing or how well you thought you were striking the golf ball.”
Immelman certainly wasn’t immune to trouble, but he excelled at extricating himself from it. While he three-putted only once all week, just as crucial were the two-putts that saved par Sunday. Woods, meanwhile, was bedeviled by his flatstick, missing relatively easy attempts.
“I didn’t putt well all week,” said Woods, who finished with 120 putts for the week. (For the season, Woods has averaged just over 28 putts per round.) “Out here, if you’re not starting the ball perfectly on line, you’re not going to make any putts.”
Before his final round, Immelman received a voice mail from Gary Player, at that point, the only South African to win the Masters. Part of the message was to take a little extra time over the ball, to keep his head a little quieter.
While Immelman managed to do just that Sunday, now it will be all he can do to keep his head from exploding from the magnitude of what he’s accomplished.
“I’m probably not going to win the Grand Slam,” Immelman said with a laugh. “I’ve always dreamed about winning majors and deep down, I always thought I was good enough, but at times you doubt yourself, you screw up a few times and you’re just like, ‘Man, maybe I’m not good enough.’
“Obviously, this is a tremendous confidence boost, and now, I’m definitely not going to sit back and go, ‘OK, I’m done.’ ”
Hole of the day
510-yard, par-5 13th.
It played only slightly over par for the day, but it was the most compelling hole because it held the last vestige of drama on the day. The winner, Trevor Immelman, birdied. Contender Brandt Snedeker bogeyed, and runner-up Tiger Woods missed a short birdie putt.
Anthony Cotton: 303-954-1292 or acotton@denverpost.com
