US Masters / Romilly Evans / 20 March 2012 /

Romilly Evans reckons Charl Schwartzel and his countrymen can bolster their proud Masters tradition...

The late, great Seve Ballesteros raised his arms and punched the air in celebration on the 18th green of the final round of the 1978 US Masters. Most spectators were confused. None more so than Seve's playing partner, Gary Player, who thought he'd just holed the winning putt after a spectacular closing round of 64. By contrast, Ballesteros' own challenge had subsided, but the Spaniard looked like the victor and he wrapped Player in a warm embrace. Seve was never known as the selfless type, so it wasn't until his words of congratulations that Player finally got the message: "Gary, you just show me how to win Masters!"

Ballesteros was as good as his word, taking the title two years later and again in 1983. Admittedly, it takes a special aptitude to learn how to joust like The Black Night, but Player has been dealing out golfing lessons all his life. The South African won nine majors and, as the only non-American to hold a career Grand Slam, proved an inspiration to an international contingent struggling to crack the US scene. Nowhere was he more inspirational, of course, than in his homeland where every junior golfer grew up wanting to rival his fame and fortune.

Consequently, South Africa has defied its average population to produce a great harvest of top-class talent in ensuing generations - many of whom have won majors and featured prominently at Augusta National. First came Ernie Els and Retief Goosen in the 1990s. The pair had grown up together in junior and amateur golf, benefitting along the way from Player's guidance and example. Els was the main man, claiming top spot in the world rankings and three majors, but Goosen soon got in on the act with two US Opens of his own.

Neither man proved the perfect fit for the Green Jacket, however, repeatedly coming up an inch or two short. Els was twice the bridesmaid, recording five consecutive top sixes (2000-04), while Goosen arguably came even closer with two runners-up berths and two thirds (2002-07).

Whether either man will get the chance to atone for those near-misses this year is a moot point. Both stand outside the qualification criteria after a few weak years - Els struggling with his short-putting, Goosen with a back injury. So if you fancy either on the outright market, this is not the time to get involved.

But every generation is meant to better the one which precedes it - and that definitely seems to be the case with the latest crop of South Africans at Augusta. Trevor Immelman got the ball rolling in 2008 when leaving the mighty Tiger Woods for dust. Presently available at [170.00] to back, Immelman has been plagued with wrist injuries ever since but is now returning to good health and good golf. Despite those concerns, he has never been outside the Top 20 since his win and still rates a livewire outsider.

As does Louis Oosthuizen who has surprisingly never managed to make the cut at Augusta. That must change this year for a player who has all the tools to safely negotiate Amen Corner without summoning any celestial assistance. Oosthuizen's mortal skills are embodied in perhaps the most technically perfect swing on tour, whose power and majesty were clearly articulated by his seven-shot demolition of the Open Championship in 2010. King Louis has taken time to find his feet on US courses, but he's slowly playing his way into form this season and simply needs the putter to click into gear. At a tempting [200.00], he is a player to keep on the right side of in the various match and performance bands.

When Oosthuizen triumphed at St Andrews two years ago, it was heartening to see one of his closest friends there to lead the celebrations outside the clubhouse. Best mates should always be there, you might argue, but many thought Charl Schwartzel would be experiencing mixed feelings. After all, it was Schwartzel who was the poster boy for South African golf throughout his junior career, supposedly even more gifted than Oosthuizen and Immelman. Now he had to look on as his contemporaries collected the most coveted titles.

However, like Ballesteros before him, Schwartzel [42.0] garnered belief from his friends' endeavours. At last year's Masters he proved the point, birdying the final four holes (for the first time in Augusta history) to grab glory. Still only 27, Schwartzel has contended in every subsequent major (never outside the top-16) and fully merits his status among the Top 10 in the market.

So with three major victories inside the last four seasons, it appears that peer group pressure in this South African school of golf is a positive thing. What separates Saffer students from less prolific countries is hard to fathom, but they certainly had the right teacher and mentor in Gary Player. In fact, as if trying to channel the spirit of the The Dark Knight, both Schwartzel and Immelman wore black for their final-round attack runs.

These golfers all have the textbook swing, the self-belief and the work ethic. Perhaps that last component is the torch which welds the machinery of a Major winner. After all, it was Player himself who said: "the more I practice, the luckier I get." If only I found it the same when it comes to betting.

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