Thread Tools

Display Modes

**truebluefan** · 03-09-2008, 09:07 PM

Augusta National GC, Augusta, Georgia
Purse: $7,000,000

BrianMcG · 03-25-2008, 05:51 PM

I got a practice round ticket. Can't wait to go.

**memorex88** · 04-08-2008, 08:56 AM

It's here!!! Finally The Masters is back and the weather in Montreal could not be better! I'm excited as a kid at Christmas

BrianMcG we want to hear all about the practice round if you please!

BrianMcG · 04-14-2008, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by memorex88

It's here!!! Finally The Masters is back and the weather in Montreal could not be better! I'm excited as a kid at Christmas

BrianMcG we want to hear all about the practice round if you please!

It was great. I will post some pics tomorrow.

**truebluefan** · 04-14-2008, 08:41 PM

Cant wait to see them

**truebluefan** · 04-14-2008, 08:44 PM

Trevor Immelman is playing golf like a man on a mission and after three rounds at the Masters he has a two-shot lead.

Immelman shot three-under-par 69 Saturday - his third round in the 60s at Augusta National Golf Club.

Just when it appeared Immelman might stumble, he produced some wonderful golf - and got a little help along the way.

Immelman, of South Africa, is at 11-under-par 205 through 54 holes, two strokes better than Brandt Snedeker (70-207).

Steve Flesch (69-208) and Paul Casey (69-209) are next on the leaderboard.

Alone in fifth place is four-time Champion Tiger Woods, who fashioned his best round of the championship, a 68, and is at five-under-par 211.

Immelman made birdies at three of the final six holes, including the 18th where his approach finished three feet from the cup.

"From the 10th hole, I controlled my ball as well as I ever have," said Immelman, who will try to become the first wire-to-wire winner since Ben Crenshaw 24 years ago.

It was at the 15th hole that Immelman got the kind of fortunate break that often creates Champions.

After laying up on his second shot, Immelman nearly spun his third shot with a wedge into the pond in front of the green. The ball hit on the green and began to backtrack, off the green and down the closely-mowed slope. Dangerously, it rolled toward to the water hazard. For a moment, it picked up speed and just when it appeared the ball might not stop, it did.

"I don't know how that ball stayed up there but obviously I'm thankful," Immelman said.

Immelman will take that as a good omen. He will also attempt to do nothing different in the final round with his first major title to close to reality.

"There is such a long way to go and so many great golfers out there," he said. "If I start resting on a two-shot lead I'm not going to do very well (Sunday). All I can do is go out there and give it my best.

"I've dreamed about playing professional golf since I was five years old. There have been many bumps in the road, like everybody. I'm going to go out and play my heart out. That's all I can ask of myself."

Snedeker went out in 34 and was at nine-under-par through 10 holes before three successive bogeys. He bounced back nicely with birdies at the 14th and 15th. He also made birdie at the 18th to finish at nine-under-par.

"I had 182 yards, uphill," said Snedeker, who refused to fold after those three bogeys. "I hit a 7-iron, just hammered it, about six feet and made the putt. (It was) A great way to end the round.

"You've got to realize it's a long tournament. We've got a lot of golf left to play. I felt I was swinging good. I said if I gave myself a few more chances, I would be OK. Fortunately, I did, and made a few more birdies."

Immelman and Snedeker will play in the final group Sunday.

"I'm going out there to play good golf and see what we got," Snedeker said. "Everything I've practiced for, everything I've done is preparation for (Sunday). I'm not nervous at all."

Flesch, who will play in the group with Casey, is a left-hander. A birdie at the 18th left him at eight-under-par. Left-handers have won the Masters three times in the past five years. Canada's Mike Weir won in 2003 and was followed by Phil Mickelson in 2004 and 2006.

"I've driven the ball great, kept it in play, and actually putted pretty well this week," Flesch said. "I was thrilled even to be here. This is kind of what we all play for.

"I've won four times in 11 years. Nothing to lose. That's how I'm looking at it. If you're going to make a run, may as well make it this week."

Everybody expects Woods to make a run, too.

"Sixty-eight was probably the highest score I could have shot," he said.

Woods said his putting was "just a touch off," but was pleased to have played his way back into the tournament.

When Woods made a birdie putt at the 10th to get to three-under-par, only six names were ahead of him on the leaderboard: Immelman, Snedeker, Casey, Flesch, Phil Mickelson and Ian Poulter. In those 10 holes, Woods had already climbed past a dozen golfers.

Woods has never come from behind to win a major championship.

"I'm sure he's going to be a factor," Snedeker said. "If we go out and play a good round of golf he's going to have to play extremely well to beat us.

"If he gets off to a great start, it's going to be in everybody's head. To sit here and say we're not going to be looking for Tiger is crazy. We are and everybody sitting here is."

**truebluefan** · 04-14-2008, 08:46 PM

It’s a shame really what happened today (three-over75). I played really, really well, made 16 pars, and just made bogey and double bogey on Nos. 9 and 10.

I had two really bad lies on those holes. On the ninth, I was on the most severe downward slope out here and I had a really tough shot and made bogey.

Then on No. 10, my ball had a lot of mud on it from the early rains and my approach shot was above my feet. I tried to cut in an 8-iron, but that’s a recipe for disaster and that’s what happened with an ugly six.

Other than that, it was fine. I still think I’m in the hunt and still think it can happen Sunday. Nick (Faldo) came from a long way back one year to show us how it can happen.

After coming off the course, it seemed like I had been there a long time. It was almost 7:30 p.m., when I finished and had my dinner on the table by 8 p.m. I passed on hitting balls because it was already pretty dark and so I just headed home.

I had Beef Wellington for dinner with a bit of lamp chops and some potatoes on the side. Everything pretty normal as it is.

When I got home, I just put my feet up, talked a bit with the family, watched a bit of golf on TV, and got ready for another day.

With the late tee time Sunday I am facing a bit of a layover, a pretty easy morning. Thankfully, I can sleep in late when I had a late tee time. I will get up about 8:30-9 a. m. and spent time with my family.

I have my wife, Kate, here along with my kids, Luke and Aimee-Leigh, which makes it nice to all be here together.

When I’m doing well like this, I usually get a lot of calls and messages and this was certainly no exception. When I got back to my house, I probably had a dozen messages from people back home in England, wishing me good luck, and congratulating me on my play.

It’s a six-hour time difference over there, so it’s about midnight back home when I finished, but everybody is so keen on golf, they all stay up and watch.

After breakfast, we’ll just sit out and watched some TV and chat a bit. There will be no football (soccer) on TV Sunday morning, but my team, Arsenal, has a big match which will be shown early Sunday.

By the time we get to the car and go over to the club, it will be about noon. The house I’m renting is only about 15 minutes from the club.

This is always going to be one of the most important tournaments of this year. It’s one of the four keys pillars to my season and certainly everybody knows this.

This was already a big week for me because we launched the new clothing line on Thursday, but really golf is more important than business. Still it’s exciting to be here and play well and get to play late on television.

Tomorrow I probably wear some green. I’m sure we could find some pants to match that Green Jacket if I won one Sunday.

It can be done. I’m still top ten (T7) and ready to have a go at it on Sunday.

**truebluefan** · 04-14-2008, 08:47 PM

Trevor Immelman's swing has been compared to Ben Hogan by one of golf's great players, Gary Player, a three-time Masters Champion.

There is another quality Immelman shares with Hogan that until Sunday at Augusta National Golf Club probably had not received enough attention.

Hogan, also a Masters Champion, was recognized as golf's Wee Ice Mon for his steely nerves. Immelman demonstrated over 72 holes at Augusta National that he has the same kind of determination and cool demeanor.

Immelman shot a final-round 75 Sunday for a 280 total, eight-under-par, and a three-shot victory over four-time Champion Tiger Woods. It is the highest final round score by a winner since Arnold Palmer shot 75 in 1962.

Immelman made it look easy at times, but everybody knows winning the Masters certainly is anything but. He showed resolve and perseverance at every turn. When he needed to hit a key shot or make a clutch putt to ward off challengers, he did. It was quite a display of golf.

Immelman underwent surgery last December 18 to remove a non-cancerous tumor lodged beneath his ribs. He didn't touch a golf club for six weeks and then only was allowed to hit a few pitches and chips.

Now, less than four months later, he is at the pinnacle.

"I made a pretty fast recovery, got back out on tour eager to play, but my game wasn't quite there," he said. "I wasn't happy with the way I was playing. I felt I had to start from zero again. Here I am after missing the cut last week Masters Champion. It's the craziest thing I've ever heard of."

Immelman knew the conditions would be difficult, with a blowing, swirling wind.

"It was a tough day out there," Immelman said. "I knew it was going to be tough out there for us and I knew I had to stick to my game plan, play one shot at a time, and just be tough. I'm proud of myself for doing that.

"This has been the ultimate roller coaster ride and I hate roller coasters."

Two American challengers with six Masters titles between them - Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson - were poised to challenge Immelman but came up short.

They shot even-par 72 in the final round. Woods was runner-up by three shots; Mickelson finished at 286, six strokes behind the winner.

"I just didn't quite have it this week," Woods said. "I didn't make the putts I needed to make this entire week."

Mickelson, winner in 2004 and 2006, posted three rounds at par or better, including a second-round 68. His inability to play the par 3s with efficiency was costly. He made double-bogey and bogey the final two rounds at the 16th hole. He also had two bogeys each at the par-3 sixth and 12th holes.

"I hit two good shots today and made bogeys on four and 16, putting them in a tough spot and three-putting," Mickelson said. "Another three feet and the ball could have rolled down and I could have had a good opportunity (for birdie) both times. Some of it might have been play but some of it might have just been unfortunate."

Mickelson's most unfortunate break came at the par-5 eighth hole during Saturday's third round. His third shot hit the flagstick and caromed away. Instead of a short birdie putt, he three-putted. His charge had ended and try as he might, there was little he could do in the final round.

"I was hoping to make more of a run than I did," Mickelson said. "But it was a tough day and I felt like I had to fight pretty hard to keep it around par. But I certainly had some chances that could have brought it lower. It just doesn't look like it would have been enough anyway.

"I thought I struck the ball pretty well this week and it's encouraging that playing the majors I'm striking the ball better than probably I ever have. My chipping came around this week. It hasn't been where I wanted it."