Immel's the Man

A busy week has come and gone. 2 NCAA Basketball Champions decided, and a new Master's champion. His name: Trevor Immelman.

My hat goes off to him because he was the one that got around the golf course in the least amount of shots. Did Tiger have a chance? Most certainly. Golf scores are mostly determined on the green. Tiger didn't hit his putts. That's all there is to it. He had three chances within 10 feet in the last 6 holes for birdie. He missed them all.

I really am happy to see Immelman win it. It sounds like he has overcome some serious illnesses the last couple of years. There is only one thing I have against the win. Two weeks prior, Immelman, Ian Poulter, and Justin Rose played two practice rounds at Augusta National. This is legal because it is not the week of the tournament. I just have an ethical issue with this. Golfer's come out and are given two days to play the course the week of the tournament. These three played it two more times than everyone else in the field. Advantage? You'd have to be absolutely obtuse not to think so. Opening round scores verify this point. Look at the top three players after day one. You'll find your answer.

As a golfer, I am torn about how I feel about them playing 2 weeks before. I guess you could say that it is as close to cheating as you can get in golf. They have a look at the course in almost optimal condition, and they can hit numerous shots from numerous places.

I'm open to suggestion about what you all think. I tip my cap as he slides on the green jacket. But in the back of my head, I'm thinking about those 2 practice rounds that he played. If you want to win a tournament, do you go and play the course as many times as you can until you get it right? What he did is fully within the rules. So I'm leaving it alone. A tradition like no other.