Trevor Immelman won the 2008 Masters. Woo-hoo. Life is rosy. But four months earlier, the 28-year-old was lying in a hospital bed in Somerset West, South Africa, two weeks after winning a tournament, wondering whether a tumor doctors had just removed from under his rib cage was cancerous. It wasn't, but it got the husband and father of one thinking. Now Immelman says, rather pointedly, "Golf is not what makes me happy."
Okay, but the game provided some element of joy when he won his first major at Augusta, despite a putting stroke that pundits often claim renders him so maddeningly inconsistent. Today, this quietly focused two-time Tour winner has one of his childhood heroes, fellow South African Gary Player, saying his swing is the smoothest on Tour and "might be the best I've seen since Ben Hogan." His on-course demeanor smacks of Hogan's all-business attitude as well, but Immelman balks at the comparisons. In fact, sometimes Immelman balks at golf, altogether.
At Lake Nona Golf & Country Club, his home course in Orlando, Fla., obsessive drummer Immelman reveals the BIG QUESTIONS going through his mind after surgery, why he thinks players would be stupid to use performance-enhancing drugs on Tour, and why he won't reach his peak until his thirties.
How has your life changed since winning the Masters?
More people coming up to me, more people congratulating me, wanting photos and autographs. Me as a person — I'm not going to change. Golf is not everything for me. As I've gotten older and gotten married and had a kid, I've come to realize that golf is not the thing that really drives me day to day.
What drives you more?
Enjoying life and enjoying my family and having close friends and relationships. At the end of the day, those are the things that are going to make you happy. What good is winning 15 majors but not having a relationship with your wife or your son? It's no good at all.
Some commentators said you won the Masters despite being an average putter. Did that rile you?
I don't pay much attention to what commentators say. You can drive yourself crazy listening to stuff. Those guys don't know what you're going through on and off the golf course, or how much work you're putting into your game. I'm not going to kid anybody. My putting has never been the strongest part of my game. But it's been something that I've learned to get really comfortable with, and over the last couple of years I've really started to feel good about it, to where I now stand over putts feeling like I'm going to make them.
Is there a specific moment that stands out from Sunday at Augusta?
Holing the putt on 11 to save par was instrumental in that victory. That hole has become probably the most difficult hole on the course. I hit a beautiful drive, and I bailed out on my second shot. I had a pretty good chip that just got caught up in the fringe, and then I holed a really good 15-footer to save par. That gave me that extra shot in the arm.
There's a lot of talk that with Tiger out, the rest of the year's majors were very different because players weren't going up against the best player in the world.
I agree with that 100 percent. It is different. The things he achieves, and the regularity with which he achieves them, is just frightening. I don't think we've seen anything like it. He's possibly going to be the greatest player of all time. For me to win a major with him playing, that's a special feat.
How much was Tiger on your mind on Sunday?
Not at all. I was so focused that week on my own game and on the golf course, I wasn't concerned about anybody else.
You were paired with Brandt Snedeker on Saturday and Sunday. What were your thoughts on his emotional reaction afterward (Snedeker broke down in front of reporters after the final round)?
I think it was very honest, and it was innocent. He was just letting everybody know how he felt. I don't think he planned it that way. I think that it was an emotional week for him. He really wanted to win and play well. And he came real close. I definitely don't think any less of him because he did that. It's admirable. The guy was wearing his heart on his sleeve.
