Immelman earned green jacket on par-4s
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Trevor Immelman set a record in 2008 by playing Augusta National's par-4s in 10-under fashion, becoming only the second Masters champion to perform better on the par-4s than on the par-5s.
Immelman birdied No. 5 three of the four rounds, and he birdied No. 18 twice.
Tiger Woods held the previous record on the par-4s, running through them at 8-under in 2001.
Immelman's record was also a reversal from 2007, when winner Zach Johnson set a record for worst play on the par-4s, shooting 9-over.
Ben Crenshaw is the only other champion who played better on the par-4s than on the par-5s. He did it in his second Masters victory, in 1995.
Putting was the key to Crenshaw's win, but Immelman credits driving accuracy for his Masters moment.
"To be honest with you, I haven't driven the ball that well since," he said. "But the beauty was that that week I was really hitting the ball long and straight."
But it took more than solid driving to claim the green jacket.
"It really was my whole game just kind of clicking together," he said. "I was hitting the fairways and I was hitting the greens, and I was giving my putter an opportunity. ... I just kind of think it was one of those weeks to where everything fell in place."
Immelman also tied the record held by several players of being 3-under on No. 5.
Perhaps even more impressive, Immelman bogeyed only one par-4 hole for the tournament: No. 1, in the final round.
Trevor Immelman/2008
Immelman credited every aspect of his game for his first major victory. He was in the top five in all major statistical categories: putting, greens in regulation, driving distance and driving accuracy. He tied for fourth in putting with two 3-putts.
Tiger Woods/2001
Woods capped off the "Tiger Slam" with a win at Augusta National to give him possession of all four majors at the same time. He dominated the layout in the last year it played less than 7,000 yards, hitting wedges into several of the par-4s. Woods tied for 37th in putting and had four 3-putts.
Ben Crenshaw/1995
Crenshaw rode a hot putter and inspiration from his late mentor, Harvey Penick, to his second Masters victory. He was third in putting and had no 3-putts. Crenshaw made key birdie putts on Nos. 16 and 17 in the final round, but the image that most people remember is of him bent over and sobbing after he made the winning putt on the final green.
Masters Record
| Year | Place | Score | Round | Money | |||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||||
| 2008 | 1 | -8 | 68 | 68 | 69 | 75 | $ 1,350,000 |
| 2007 | 55 | 21 | 74 | 77 | 81 | 77 | $ 16,530 |
| 2006 | 60 | 7 | 75 | 76 | $ 0 | ||
| 2005 | 5 | -4 | 73 | 73 | 65 | 73 | $ 237,300 |
| 2004 | 79 | 9 | 77 | 76 | $ 0 | ||
| 1999 | 56 | 17 | 72 | 76 | 78 | 79 | $ 0 |
