 |
| Trevor Immelman of South Africa reacts after winning the 2008 Masters golf tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga., Sunday, April 13, 2008. |
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) -- Trevor Immelman won the Masters with relative ease, completing a wire-to-wire victory for his first Major title. Immelman closed with a 3-over 75 yesterday following three straight rounds under 70, leaving him three shots ahead of Tiger Woods.
Immelman's victory comes four months after he had a tumor removed from his back, and a year after he was stricken with a stomach parasite at the previous Masters. He entered the final round with a two-shot lead before expanding his cushion while he and the rest of the field battled 30-mile-an-hour winds.
Immelman was as many as six shots ahead in the final round before a double-bogey on the par-3 16 made things interesting. He closed with back-to-back pars to finish 8-under for the tournament.
Woods never made a serious charge, carding three birdies and three bogeys for a 72 that left him at minus-5.
Brandt Snedeker finished in a tie for third with Stewart Cink after entering the fourth round alone in second. Snedeker took himself out of contention with five bogeys on the front nine before completing a 77 for a 4-under total.
Phil Mickelson and Padraig Harrington finished in a fifth-place tie at 2-under.
