Jacob Immelman is now 18 years previous and simply completed the primary semester of his freshman yr at Clemson, the place he performs golf collegiately for the Tigers.
He’s a terrific participant, one who had an amazing junior profession earlier than heading to play in school. Not many younger golfers can say they’ve gained 18 beginner occasions in a given yr. However Immelman can, having performed so in 2023.
Regardless of these spectacular accolades, the youthful Immelman has but to perform a grander objective although. He allegedly has by no means crushed his father, Trevor, who gained the 2008 Masters by three strokes over Tiger Woods.
The story behind this story is kind of amusing, which this father-son duo revealed forward of this week’s PNC Championship.
“Mainly, I’ve misplaced by one many instances,” Jacob mentioned Thursday.
“Many instances.”
Properly, these “many instances” are, in essence, a secret settlement between Jacob and his father, who now serves because the lead analyst for CBS Sports activities.
“When he was about fifteen and a half, and he obtained his learner’s allow, he was beginning to discover ways to drive, and similar to any child, he needed to have a automotive as soon as he obtained his license,” Trevor defined.
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“[Jacob] began to get a progress spurt and a few energy and was beginning to play higher. I mentioned, ‘I’ll make you a deal. We’ll get a automotive for you, however right here’s what’s going to occur. From right here on out, for the remainder of your life, I’ll care for your fuel, automotive, and all of the funds and all the things, however every time anyone asks you should you’ve crushed me, you’ve all the time obtained to say you misplaced by one.’ In order that’s the story.”
That deal stays ingrained in Jacob’s thoughts, who acknowledged that element with a easy response:
“By no means beat him,” he mentioned.
Whether or not that’s true or not, Jacob has all the time been fascinated with golf and the PGA Tour.
“Jake was born proper after I gained the Western Open, and he was 18 months previous once I gained the Masters. So he actually grew up on the PGA Tour, going to daycare and attending to know all of the gamers and their households and wives and youngsters,” Trevor defined.
“And I feel once you spend sufficient time across the Tour, you begin to perceive how nice it’s and the way particular this sport is and the way it has the power to — sounds bizarre at this level, however unify lots of people collectively.
“So it’s enjoyable that he obtained into it and needed to maintain enjoying. And for me, selfishly, it was superior as a result of for almost all of his teenage years, I used to be nonetheless considerably competing, and I used to be nonetheless ready to spend so much of time with him once I was out working towards as a result of he would all the time tag alongside and observe and play and what have you ever. So we turned fairly shut via that.”
Now, this father-son duo will compete alongside one another on the PNC Championship for the primary time this week. However we will be unable to see if Jacob can beat his father due to the occasion’s format. It’s a 2-man scramble; one participant has to have gained a serious whereas the opposite can’t maintain any standing on any tour. That clearly applies to the Immelmans, but when Jacob retains trending in the appropriate route, his standing will change sooner slightly than later. And if it does, one must assume that, sure, in some unspecified time in the future, Jacob lastly beat his father, however he’ll probably by no means admit it.
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By means of. Comply with him on X @jack_milko.