South Africa's Immelman wins Masters

Trevor Immelman became just the second South African to earn a green jacket when he won the 72nd Masters here today.

Immelman, displaying poise beyond his 28 years, plotted his way around Augusta National to earn a three-stroke victory over Tiger Woods in extremely difficult, windy conditions, earning the distinction of being the only player currently under the age of 30 with a major title to his credit.

He survived a late double bogey to shoot 75 to finish at eight-under-par 280, with Woods (72) alone in second place on 283.

Woods threatened several times to launch a widely expected charge, but the putter would no co-operate as he squandered several golden birdie chances.

Apart from a long birdie bomb at the 11th, he could not buy a putt, and when he missed a birdie try from inside two metres at the 13th, it was the signal that this was not going to be his week.

After so much talk of Woods being primed to win the Grand Slam of all four majors in 2008, he fell at the very first hurdle.

“I hit the ball well enough to contend, but didn’t make any putts,” said Woods.

“I was struggling with dragging the blade through. I wasn’t releasing it. If you’re not starting the ball perfectly on line you’re not going to make any putts. I’ve tried to do anything to get that thing rolling properly. I just didn’t have it this week.”

Stuart Appleby was the best Australian, nine strokes behind in a tie for 14th after a very respectable 71.

Adam Scott tied for 25th at four-over 292, with Geoff Ogilvy equal 39th and Robert Allenby tied for 42nd.

Immelman had won eight tournaments worldwide, including one on the US PGA Tour, but it’s fair to say he was not exactly a name on everyone’s lips at the start of the week.

After a cancer scare in December, when a biopsy removed from his back proved to be benign, he made a very slow start to 2008, just last week missing the cut in Houston.

But he displayed the special talent that his boyhood idol Gary Player has been talking about for so long, making just two bogeys in the first 54 holes.

Immelman, who started the final round with a one-stroke lead, began nervously, pushing his drive into the pines at the par-four first for a potentially discouraging bogey.

But he always had at least a share of the lead, clawing back to a two-stroke edge at the turn, before getting through the dangerous Amen Corner without any serious damage.

He holed a long putt to save par at the brutal par-four 11th, and dropped only one shot at the par-three 12th after a poor tee shot that ended in the pine straw.

He increased his lead with a near tap-in birdie at the par-five 13th and arrived at the 15th tee with a six-shot cushion, the tournament his to lose.

But, inexplicably, Immelman got too greedy at the par-three 16th, pulling his tee shot into the pond for a double bogey.

That left him three shots clear of Woods, who was already in the clubhouse. Given the pressure and his lack of experience in such a position, it was not all over, but a one-metre par save at the 17th, where he got up-and-down from a bunker, took him a stop closer.

Needing only to avoid a triple bogey at the last, he made par, joining three-time champion Player on the Masters honour roll.