If you are a fan of golf, you may have heard of the names Mark Immelman and Trevor Immelman. Mark is a sportscaster, golf coach and author who hosts the On the Mark podcast on pgatour.com. He also covers live golf for the PGA Tour on ESPN+ for PGA Tour Live, and CBS Sports. Trevor is a retired professional golfer and television commentator who has played on the PGA Tour, European Tour and Sunshine Tour. He won his sole major championship at the 2008 Masters Tournament.
But are these two Immelmans related? The answer is yes, they are brothers. Mark is the older brother of Trevor, and they both come from a golfing family in South Africa. Their father, Johan, is the former commissioner of the Sunshine Tour in South Africa, while their sister, Michelle, is also a golfer. In this article, we will explore the relationship between Mark and Trevor Immelman, and how they both achieved success in their respective fields.
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Mark Immelman: Broadcaster, Author, Coach
Mark Immelman was born on October 2, 1970 in Somerset West, South Africa. He took up golf at the age of five and showed great talent as an amateur player. He won the U.S. Amateur Public Links in 1998 and was a three-time All-American and a two-time Academic All-American at Columbus State University in Georgia. He also won multiple national championships with Columbus State.
Mark turned professional in 1999 and played mainly on the Challenge Tour in Europe, where he finished tenth on the Order of Merit in 2000. He became a full member of the European Tour in 2001 and has four wins on the tour, including two consecutive South African Open titles in 2003 and 2004. He also won the WGC-World Cup for South Africa in partnership with Rory Sabbatini in 2003.
Mark’s broadcasting career began when he made guest appearances as an announcer on SuperSport TV in South Africa for various co-sanctioned Sunshine Tour events. He then joined the SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio crew in 2012 and became one of their leading play-by-play voices. He also hosted his own live streaming radio show called On the Mark on pgatour.com in 2015, which later evolved into a podcast of the same name.
Mark is also an accomplished golf coach and author. He has coached players to success on the PGA Tour, European Tour and Sunshine Tour, including his brother Trevor. He has written instructional articles for various golf magazines and published two eBooks: Scandalously Simple – The Easy Way to Accurate Golf Shots and Golf is a Game of Recovery. He is currently based in Columbus, Georgia, where he teaches at the Mark Immelman Golf Academy.
Trevor Immelman: Major Champion and Commentator
Trevor Immelman was born on December 16, 1979 in Cape Town, South Africa. He followed his brother’s footsteps and started playing golf at a young age. He was a prodigy who won several junior tournaments and represented South Africa at the Eisenhower Trophy in 1998. He also won the U.S. Amateur Public Links that year, becoming the first player to win both events since Ryan Moore in 2004.
Trevor turned professional in 1999 and joined the European Tour in 2000. He won his first title at the Volvo PGA Championship in 2003, beating Justin Rose by one stroke. He also won the South African Open that year, joining his brother as a champion of their home country’s national open. He added two more European Tour titles to his resume: the Deutsche Bank Players Championship of Europe in 2004 and the Nedbank Golf Challenge in 2007.
Trevor’s breakthrough moment came at the 2008 Masters Tournament, where he led from start to finish and claimed his first major championship by three shots over Tiger Woods. He became only the second South African to win the green jacket after Gary Player, who was his mentor and inspiration. Trevor’s victory was even more remarkable considering that he had undergone surgery to remove a benign tumor from his diaphragm just four months earlier.
Trevor’s career was hampered by injuries and loss of form after his Masters triumph. He struggled to regain his confidence and consistency on both tours and failed to win another tournament since then. He announced his retirement from professional golf in 2020 and joined CBS Sports as a golf analyst. He also serves as an assistant captain for Ernie Els at the Presidents Cup, where he has played four times for the International Team.
The Immelman Brothers: A Bond Beyond Golf
Mark and Trevor Immelman have always been close as brothers and supportive of each other’s careers. They share a passion for golf and a respect for its traditions and values. They also have a lot in common as broadcasters, coaches and authors who aim to educate and entertain their audiences with their insights and stories.
The Immelman brothers have also faced challenges and adversity in their lives, both on and off the course. Mark suffered a serious car accident in 2001 that left him with a broken jaw and a fractured skull. He underwent multiple surgeries and had to relearn how to speak and eat. Trevor battled health issues such as the tumor in his chest, food poisoning, Lyme disease and a wrist injury that affected his performance and well-being.
Through it all, Mark and Trevor have always been there for each other, offering encouragement, advice and comfort. They have also celebrated each other’s achievements and milestones, such as Mark’s Western Open win in 2006 and Trevor’s Masters win in 2008. They have also collaborated on various projects, such as Mark’s podcast and Trevor’s coaching.
Mark and Trevor Immelman are more than just brothers, they are friends and partners who share a love for golf and a bond beyond the game. They are an inspiration to many golf fans and aspiring players who admire their talent, dedication and character. They are also a testament to the power of family and the importance of staying true to oneself.
