A Green Jacket for Immelman

28-year-old South African leads all four rounds, on way to 3-shot vwin over Woods
By Chip Bayers,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 13, 2008 7:10 PM CDT
A Green Jacket for Immelman
Trevor Immelman of South Africa celebrates with his son Jacob after winning the 2008 Masters golf tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga., Sunday, April 13, 2008.    (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

Trevor Immelman has never felt better. Four months after he had a tumor removed from his back, Immelman handled the wind and pressure of Augusta National far better than anyone chasing him Sunday to win the Masters, the first South African in a green jacket in 30 years. Immelman held it together around Amen Corner and stretched his lead to as many as six shots on the back nine, taking the life out of a Masters that began with so much hype.  

A two-putt par on the final hole gave him a 3-over 75, matching the highest final round by a Masters champion. Even so, it was good enough for a three-shot victory over Tiger Woods, whose hopes for a calendar Grand Slam ended with a thud. Woods never got within five shots of the lead when he was on the course, twice missed birdie putts inside 8 feet and had to settle for a 72 and his second consecutive runner-up finish in the Masters.   (More The Masters stories.)

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