Rising South African star Trevor Immelman heads into this week’s British Open knowing he might have to abandon his challenge mid-tournament if he is to witness the birth of his first child.
Immelman desperately wants to be at his wife Carminita’s side, but he admitted on Monday that might not be possible if the baby decides to arrive a few days ahead of schedule.
”We went to the doctor right before I came over here and he told me she was pretty much good to go through this week and through next week to the due date, which is next Thursday,” Immelman explained.
”But we’ve got a few people with their cellphones on and they’ll let me know if something happens and I’ll try to get back.”
Given the form he displayed in holding off a Tiger Woods charge to win the Western Open earlier this month, Immelman has every reason to believe he can mount a challenge here this week.
But he would not be drawn on what would happen if his wife were to go into labour and he was in a position to win his first Major.
”You know, I haven’t totally decided what I plan to do,” he admitted. ”It depends what time of day it happens. If I could get back in time then maybe I would try, but we really are just taking it day for day.”
Immelman will be making his fifth British Open appearance this week as Hoylake plays host to the tournament for the first time since 1967.
Dry, hot weather has baked the links to a crisp, but the South African is relishing a challenge that could not be further removed from the kind of country club course he was brought up on.
”With the good weather forecast, it is just going to get firmer and firmer, so I think it is going to be very interesting come the end of the week.
”You are really going to have to control the trajectory of your ball and make some smart plays out there to make sure your ball doesn’t get away from you.
”But I absolutely love playing links golf. Even when you are chipping and putting around some of the greens, you can use every club in your bag and that is what makes it so special.”
Immelman also revealed that he had been acting on a tip from legendary compatriot Gary Player, whom he has known since he was five years old, about what it takes to win an Open Championship.
”He told me I need to practise a lot of long putts because you get so many 30, 40, 50, 60-footers at the Open and you need to be sure to two-putt from those long distances.”
Immelman’s new-found status as a winner on the United States PGA tour has earned him big-name playing partners for his first two rounds, in the form of Thomas Bjorn and Davis Love III.
It is all a long way from his Open debut in 2002 — the year Ernie Els won at Muirfield — when he went out in the final group on the Thursday.
”The guys were collecting the trash on my back nine and taking all the names off the scoreboard,” he recalled. ”There were a few marshals clapping me up to 18. I was anticipating it being slightly different.”
Immelman has got used to crossing clubs with the likes of Woods but he still has time to pause for thought about how far he has come.
”Ten or 15 years ago, if you had told me I’d be playing in The Open with Davis Love, I’d probably have started laughing. It is just a great, great feeling to be able to do that.” — AFP
