By Bret Strelow
Salisbury Post
AUGUSTA, Ga. ó The sun was setting over Augusta National as Brandt Snedeker, then Trevor Immelman, rolled in birdie putts on the 18th green.
Experience under the heat of a major championship spotlight is in short supply for the two young players, and they’ll face more pressure as they anchor another meaningful round of the Masters.
Immelman, a 28-year-old South African, stands alone in first place at 11 under par heading into today’s final round. He holds a two-shot lead over Snedeker, a 27-year-old Tennessean who trailed Immelman by one stroke as they teed off together in the final pairing Saturday afternoon.
They walked off the 18th green with their names still present atop a scattered leaderboard.
“For both of us in fading light to hit a good drive and a good second and for him to roll that putt in, it was a great way for us to finish,” Immelman said. “I think we were both proud of ourselves.”
There’s plenty more to accomplish.
Immelman followed up a pair of 68s with a 3-under 69 for a three-round total of 205, and Snedeker survived his roller-coaster ride of a back nine to post a 70.
Steve Flesch is alone in third, three shots behind Immelman, and Paul Casey is fourth at 7 under. A third-round 68 pushed Tiger Woods into sole possession of fifth at 5 under, and Stewart Cink is another stroke back in sixth. Defending Masters champion Zach Johnson and two-time champ Phil Mickelson lead a group of nine players who are tied for seventh at 2 under.
Immelman made the cut at the Masters last year even though he contracted a stomach parasite on the Tuesday night before the opening round and spent the next day in a hospital. He was 22 pounds lighter when he returned to action one month later at the Wachovia Championship in Charlotte.
Four months ago, Immelman had a benign tumor removed from his diaphragm.
“I’ve dreamed about playing professional golf since I was 5 years old, and there’s been a lot of bumps in the road, as with anybody,” Immelman said. “I’m going to go out there and play my heart out.”
Immelman had one birdie and one bogey in his first 12 holes Saturday, and he birdied three of the final six. His run started at No. 13 and continued at No. 14. He avoided disaster when his third shot into the par-5 15th hole trickled off the front edge of the green and came to rest before trickling into the water hazard. He chipped onto the green and made a 4-foot par putt.
“I knew there was a chance it was going to go in the water,” Immelman said. “I must say, I couldn’t quite believe it when it stayed up.”
Snedeker, the PGA Tour’s Rookie of the Year in 2007, kept pace with a back-nine momentum swing.
He made the turn in first place at 9 under but went to the 14th tee box with three straight bogeys on his card.
He birdied that hole and didn’t attempt to reach the green with his second shot at No. 15. He stuck his over-water approach close to the pin and made a birdie putt that pulled him to within two strokes of Immelman.
“That was probably the hardest 90-yard shot you’ll find anywhere in golf,” said Snedeker, who won the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro last year. “I knew the ramifications of it were my tournament.”
Flesch and Casey remained within striking distance thanks to third-round 69s, and Woods didn’t have a bogey as he posted his first Masters round in the 60s since 2005.
He secured his fourth green jacket that year, and he now has 13 major titles to his credit. He has never won a major in which he didn’t have at least a share of the lead after 54 holes.
“I’ve got a lot of work to do tomorrow,” Woods said. “The conditions are supposed to be pretty blustery and a little bit cooler. You just have to hang in there and stay patient because it doesn’t take much to make a high number out here.”
Just ask Mickelson, who entered the third round in a tie for third place at 5 under.
He birdied the second hole to close to within two shots of the lead but dropped a stroke at No. 6. His third shot into the par-5 eighth hole hit the pin on a bounce before rolling downhill to the front of the green. He three-putted for bogey, then fell to 2 under for the tournament with bogeys at the 11th and 12th holes.
He bounced back with back-to-back birdies but had a double bogey at No. 16 and finished with a 75.
“The rain softened the course, and I thought there were some low scores,” Mickelson said. “I just didn’t shoot one of them.”
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Contact Bret Strelow at 704-797-4258 or bstrelow@salisburypost.com.