Rod Pampling wins 2008 Australian Masters
Rod Pampling has won the 2008 Australian Masters defeating Marcus Fraser on the third playoff hole. It was looking like Channel 7 were going to have to pull the plug on the golf for the second year running with both players slipping in and out of the gold jacket on the notoriously difficult par 4, 18th. Only one birdie was made on the hole all day.
Rod Pampling’s final round 67 was controlled. It was typical Pampling and thoroughly deserves the victory. Marcus Fraser shot a fantastic final round with some amazing iron work and it was somewhat ironic that it was his approach shot that saw him come unstuck in the playoff.
The tournament was almost over on the second playoff hole after Fraser found the bunker, but a great up-and-down kept him in contention for his first gold jacket as Pampling missed the putt.
The internationals ended up being a little disappointing. Steve Webster needed more putts to drop on Sunday leaving a few short of the hole and Tim Clark can blame his 3rd round on missing out on the gold jacket.
It was a great Masters with Robert Allenby’s albatross on Saturday the shot of the tournament. He finished 3 shots back and just couldn’t make a putt on Sunday. Reports indicate his mother is not well and he played superbly considering his thoughts may have been elsewhere. We wish him and his family all the best.
Apparently Allenby’s mum has undergone treatment for her illness for quite some time and it was last week when they/she decided that no more treatment would help! A courageous thing to do knowing that she might not be with us for much longer, it was apparent how this affected Allenby’s play, he broke down in a press conference and again in the final round of play, like him or loathe him it was a very moving thing to see and I wish him and his family well.