Sun Apr 13 19:33:38 2008

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Immelman hangs on for Masters win over Woods

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Augusta, GA (Sports Network) - Trevor Immelman built a lead he could not lose on the back nine Sunday and won his first major championship at the Masters at Augusta National.

Immelman, who held a five-shot lead with five to play, finished with a three- over 75 on Sunday for a total of eight-under-par 280. It was enough for a three-shot victory over four-time winner Tiger Woods.

Immelman became the fifth player to win the Masters wire-to-wire and first since Raymond Floyd in 1976. He became the second South African to don the green jacket after his idol, Gary Player.

Woods' bid to start the single-season Grand Slam was derailed by a cool putter on Sunday. He missed makeable putts at 13 and 14, but posted an even-par 72 in the final round.

Brandt Snedeker, who was alone in second at the start of the final round, struggled to a five-over 77 on Sunday. He tied for third place with Stewart Cink, who carded an even-par 72. The pair finished at minus-four.

Immelman began the final round with a two-shot lead over Snedeker and both players in the final pairing showed some early jitters. Both bogeyed the first to stay two apart, but a 40-foot eagle putt from Snedeker at two tied the pair for the lead at 10-under par.

Snedeker fell one behind at the next hole when he never recovered from a poor drive into a bunker. Immelman extended the margin to two shots with a short birdie putt at five, then Snedeker padded the lead for Immelman.

At the sixth, Snedeker made a bogey, then dropped another shot at seven thanks to his second landing in a bunker. Immelman stiffed his approach at seven inside three feet and looked good to take a five-shot lead. His almost tap-in never hit the hole, so his margin was still four.

Flesch did his best to cut into the gap with a nine-foot birdie putt at eight. That got him within three, then Immelman drove into a bunker at the same hole and hit a poor third that came back to 45 feet. The South African hammered it eight feet past and missed the comeback putt. He bogeyed the hole and the lead was trimmed to two over Flesch.

Immelman ran into more trouble at nine after his approach went into a bunker. He blasted out to seven feet, but holed the clutch par save to keep his two- stroke lead as he headed to the demanding back nine.

Flesch blinked first, hitting his tee ball into the water at the par-three 12th. He could do no better than double-bogey, falling to minus-six.

Someone else looked like a lock to get to six-under -- Woods.

Woods' drive at the par-five 13th came to rest against a tree, forcing him to punch out. He wedged over the flag and the ball nearly flew right into the hole. He missed the birdie putt to remain at five-under, but Immelman stayed strong in the face of adversity.

At the 11th, Immelman's second sailed right of the green. His pitch stopped on the fringe, but he made the 15 footer to save an unlikely par and take a four- shot lead over Flesch and five ahead of Woods and Snedeker.

The leader went left at the par-three 12th and only managed to get to the fringe with his second. Immelman chipped to five feet and holed the clutch bogey save to stay three clear of Flesch and Snedeker, who drained a 35-footer to birdie the 12th.

Woods fell further off the pace when he missed a nine-footer for par at the 14th. Flesch bogeyed the hole later and Snedeker found the water for the second consecutive round at 13. Snedeker bogeyed the 13th, while Immelman laid up and tapped in a short birdie putt for a five-shot cushion with five to play.

Flesch racked up another bogey at 15 and Snedeker dropped another shot at 14. Immelman made par after missing the green and was six ahead.

Immelman made a huge error on 16, dumping his ball in the water. From the drop area, he hit his third 25 feet short and two-putted for a double-bogey.

Immelman now owned a three-shot lead over Woods, who finally made a putt at 18. His 10-footer found the bottom of the cup for birdie, but he needed help from Immelman to make a playoff.

Immelman saved par from a bunker at the 17th and two-putted for par at the last for his first major title.

Two-time Masters winner Phil Mickelson (72), reigning British Open champion Padraig Harrington (72) and Steve Flesch (78) shared fifth place at minus-two.