AUGUSTA, Ga. -- The winner was courageous. Trevor Immelman came back from that tumor surgery. Held on to win the Masters. The runner-up showed a different kind of courage.
Tiger Woods dared challenge history.
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| Tiger Woods says this week at Augusta 'was not one of my best.' (Getty Images) |
Most likely it never will be done.
But Tiger Woods had us thinking it might be done. By him. He made the proposal on his website. Said the Slam was "easily within reason."
Within reason, but so far not within anyone's grasp. Including Tiger's.
"I learned my lesson," he said Sunday afternoon with a smile that might have been hiding tears. "I'm not going to say anything."
Except to concede that the acknowledged best putter on the planet couldn't hole a short putt.
Except to point out golf, that frustrating game, bewilders and stymies even the man ranked No. 1 in the world.
Immelman, the most unlikely winner since, well, Zach Johnson a year ago, took this Masters wire to wire. Wobbled down the stretch, shooting a 75, but with a 72-hole total of 280 came in three shots better than Tiger. And at least four ahead of everybody else.
Sure, Tiger could have hidden his cards, not revealed his thoughts, never hinted at the Slam. But why? Just the idea of someone willing to bring the quest to our attention deserves admiration, the way Immelman does for his play under pressure.
"You know," Immelman said of Woods, "the guy boggles my mind. I'm an avid sports fan, and I study top sportsmen, and this guy is frightening in what he gets done and the ease in which he gets it done. To win 13 majors at age 32 is just frightening."
Agreed, but Tiger, hard as he tried, couldn't win this major, couldn't get that start toward the Slam.
