Over six days, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution will look back on the significant anniversaries that fall on the upcoming 2018 Masters.
Today: 10th anniversary – Trevor Immelman gets wire-to-wire win.
Wire-to-wire wins don’t happen often at the Masters.
Until the unlikeliest Trevor Immelman did it in 2008, the feat hadn’t been accomplished since Raymond Floyd in 1976.
Write that in the Masters history books.
Immelman, the 28-year old, finished at 8-under par. He led after every round of the tournament, including a share after the first round. He held on for a victory despite a closing round 3-over par 75. Even with that, second-place Tiger Woods finished three strokes back.
Four months earlier, Immelman had a benign tumor removed from his diaphragm. The 2006 PGA Tour Rookie of Year battled injuries before the career-defining moment. He would after as well.
“It’s been the ultimate roller-coaster ride, and I hate roller coasters,” Immelman said after the win. “Here I am after missing the cut last week, Masters champion. It’s is the craziest thing I've ever heard of.”
The closing round 75 was the highest final-round score by a winner since Arnold Palmer won his third Masters in 1962.
Sure, professional golf featured the likes of Ernie Els and Retief Goosen but Immelman became the first South African to win the Masters since Gary Player won the last of his three titles exactly 30 years earlier.
Despite the leaderboard, it wasn’t exactly a run-away victory. Immelman led by five strokes after he avoided disaster on No. 15. His approach shot to the par-5 hit the green, spun off the green and down the hill – almost certainly destined for the water guarding the green. It stopped, seemingly defying the laws of physics. Immelman would save par and remain at 10-under.
However, a double-bogey at No. 16 brought the field closer. Immelman would not be caught. Steve Flesch and Brandt Snedeker were within four strokes and Woods was within five strokes with six to play. Flesch bogeyed four straight holes. Snedeker finished with three bogeys and a birdie. Woods managed just a closing birdie.
“It’s never easy to win a major in any era, but you know, I'm playing in the Tiger Woods Era,” Immelman said. “To win a major while he's playing and he’s playing at his peak, it's a hell of an achievement. I'm not sure if I’ll ever get it done again, but I'll be trying my best.”
Immelman hasn’t come close again. He spends time these days as a golf analyst after being beset by wrist and elbow injuries. He had just one other win on the PGA Tour, that two years earlier, and four on the European Tour. He briefly lost his PGA Tour card.
Immelman has missed the cut in the past four Masters. His results in the five years after his win were 20th, 14th, 15th, 60th and 50th.
He will always have that April day in Augusta.
“It’s something I’ll be able to carry with me for the rest of my life and the rest of my career,” he said years after. “So, it’s something I’m really humbled by really.”
