In the 50 years since the 11th, 12th and 13th holes at Augusta National Golf Club were named Amen Corner by sportswriter Herbert Warren Wind, the balance of the Masters Tournament has almost always been determined in that peaceful valley on the lowest ground on the property.

The trend continued this year. Trevor Immelman won the Masters on Sunday, in large measure, when he avoided disaster at Nos. 11 and 12 and made a clutch birdie at No. 13.

His closest contenders, in the meantime, made one mistake after another at those holes, ranging from shots sprayed into water hazards and trees to important putts missed -- short and long.

Immelman, who shot 75 in the final round to finish at 8-under-par 280, three shots clear of Tiger Woods, played Amen Corner at 3-under par for the week and made his only bogey of the week at those holes at the par-3 12th on Sunday.

He played them at even par in the fourth round, the only player besides Woods (1-under) to negotiate the holes at par or better among the last seven twosomes. Despite the fact that Woods had two pars and a birdie at those holes, one of the pars was a deep disappointment -- at No. 13, when he missed a 5-foot birdie putt that could have cut Immelman's lead to three shots.

Woods made the only birdie of the day at the 11th hole, which ranked the most difficult on the course, sinking a 50-foot putt.

One of Immelman's pars at Amen Corner was a spirit-lifter -- a 15-foot par putt from the fringe at No. 11, after he hit a chip that failed to reach the putting surface.

The rest of the contenders met disaster at Amen Corner.

Brandt Snedeker, who played with Immelman in the final twosome in both weekend rounds, bogeyed Nos. 11 and 13, wiping out the gain he made with a 40-foot birdie putt at No. 12.

Steve Flesch knocked his tee shot at No. 12 into the water and made a double bogey.

"If I could have gotten through 12, the rest of my round might have taken on a different complexion," Flesch said.

Would-be Masters winners for 72 years know exactly how he feels.