Capelle On Golf

2008 Masters Coverage - thru 4/15

Two Trevor Immelman’s were at work at the 2008 Masters. Version One played mostly great golf for 60 holes, at which point he was -11 for the tournament. Version Two played the final 12 holes, knowing that the Masters was his to win, or lose. He felt the pressure and survived, but not without leaking a quart or two of oil.

The first drops were splattered on the seventh green when he pulled a simple three foot birdie putt and settled for a par. He misplayed eight from tee to three-putt green, carding a bogey. Then on nine, Immelman yanked his second into a greenside bunker, which prompted this comment from Peter Kostis about playing under pressure: “”Big muscles freeze, small muscles speed up.” It wouldn’t be the last time. To his credit, Immelman got up and down for a par, ending with a 37 on the front nine.

Immelman’s game was a sign that Back Nine of Masters Sunday Pressure had struck a few holes early. Clearly he wasn’t going to arrive at Butler Cabin without passing several gut checks. He would proceed to choke on four full shots on the back nine, which led to scores of par, bogey, double bogey, par.

Others on the leaderboard let their bad shots cause them to completely implode, but Immelman held his ground. The recap of his four misses on the back nine and his responses explain better than anything why he, and not the others, emerged with the Green Jacket.

11th Hole
He pushes his second shot far to the right to avoid the lake
He holes a 20 footer for par

12th Hole
He pulls his tee shot to the left to avoid Rae’s Creek
He hits his first chip fat, then chips to five feet
He holes a five footer to avoid a double bogey

13th Hole
Immelman plays this potential card wrecker perfectly, makes birdie

16th Hole
He yanks his tee shot into the lake
He then hits a superb iron to the left side of the green, then putts to a foot

17th Hole
He hits his second shot fat into the bunker.
He blasts to three feet and holes the putt, retaining his three shot lead

18th Hole
Drive down the middle, iron into the fat part of the green, two putts