Notes: Immelman not quibbling over wires – The Masters Tournament
AUGUSTA, Ga. - Not that Trevor Immelman would be concerned about definitions while contemplating his lead going into the final round Masters, but some say that if he wins, it would not be a wire-to-wire victory. Others say it would.Immelman has been in the lead from the start, but he shared it with Justin Rose in the first round. Oh.
The debate aside, Immelman can become the first player in Masters history to post four rounds in the 60s. Coming into this Masters, 23 players have shot three rounds in the 60s on 27 different occasions. The last to open with three straight rounds in the 60s was Retief Goosen in 2002. He shot 74 in the final round and finished second to Tiger Woods.
A BOARD TOO MANY - Zach Johnson, the 2007 champ, might be challenging for the 2008 Masters if he'd have kept his head down in the second round. “I might have looked at the [score] board one time too many,” Johnson said, meaning that whopping 76 he shot Friday. He made the observation Saturday, after a 4-under 68 that came too late to get him up in the chase. It put him at 2-under 214.
Johnson expanded on that notion: “It was Friday, and I'm at 2 [under] and the leaders are at 8, and you know you need birdies and you kind of force the issue.” And Augusta National doesn't take kindly to being forced.
Now, he says, the pressure is off him. But then the down-home guy born and raised in Iowa added: “The pressure should always be off me. Based on numbers, based on name, I'm not supposed to win.”
NO CASE OF NERVES - Johnson Wagner, who crashed the party into his first Masters by winning the Shell Houston the week before, was a model of cool for a rookie. He's far from being in contention with 72-74-74 - 218, but he did make the cut.
“I've been really nervous in the previous two majors I've played in,” said Johnson, 28, in his second year on the PGA Tour, “and I think I've done a good job keeping myself composed, because I made the cut, and haven't really played a good round yet. But a good round tomorrow will jump me way up. And this has just been a dream three days. Playing Augusta, four straight days, in the Masters, has just been incredible.”
BLUSH OFF ROSE - England's Justin Rose, co-leader at 68 in the first round, about ruined his chances with a 77 in the second. (He had a cryptic explanation: “I hit every fairway, pured it off the tee. Technically, everything was in perfect shape. But obviously there was just a lack of slight mental adjustment over those two days. The game didn't go anywhere overnight. I just struggled to sort of frame it up right in my mind, I suppose.”)
Then Rose, an early challengers in recent majors, killed his chances altogether with a 73 Saturday. “Two three-putt bogeys in the first six holes,” Rose said. Then he started the back nine bogey-double bogey.
READY ON THE LEFT - There were a record six left-handers in the field: Phil Mickelson, Mike Weir, Steve Flesch, Bubba Watson, Nick O'Hern and Richard Green. O'Hern and Green missed the cut.
GAME PLAN - Adam Scott, on being asked how to play well at Augusta National: “For me, I just need to not bogey the holes in the first seven. I seem to be 2-over through 7 every round.” And so he was again Saturday, but he played the rest of the way at 4-under for a 70 and a par-216 total.
A SPOT OF RAIN - A storm blew through at 1 p.m. and got so heavy, play was suspended for 40 minutes.
A ROOKIE SHOW - The final pairing Sunday is a match set of Rookies of the Year - Immelman in 2006 and Brandt Snedeker, in '07.
OUT OF THE RUT - With his 68, Tiger Woods broke 70 for the first time in the Masters since the third round in '05. That was 11 straight rounds in the 70s. His career Masters scoring average as a pro is 68.83.
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