Trevor Immelman admitted he still cannot quite believe he is the new Masters champion as he prepared to return to competitive action for the first time since his Augusta National victory earlier this month.
Immelman tees off at the EDS Byron Nelson Championship on Thursday at the TPC Four Seasons Resort Las Colinas, 11 days after he donned the Masters champion's green jacket having held off Tiger Woods for a three-stroke victory.
Immelman, however, is still coming to terms with the magnitude of his victory, his first major and the first Masters win by a South African since Gary Player won his third green jacket 30 years ago.
The 28-year-old went on the traditional Masters champion's media tour to New York City the day after his triumph, with an appearance on the Letterman Show and a photo opportunity on the Empire State Building.
"It's been a pretty crazy time for me," Immelman said on Wednesday.
"It's been exciting for my family and I to experience everything that's gone with the victory.
"We had a great time in New York. It was my first time in New York, so everything was for the first time, it was fantastic.
"Then I had a nice couple of days at home (in Orlando, Florida), trying to reflect on what happened and it still hasn't quite sunk in yet.
"So these are exciting times for me but now that I'm here, I'm here to try and play as well as I can this week and I've got to try and focus on this tournament."
That may be difficult for Immelman, who said he has been much in demand by autograph hunters as he has practised at Las Colinas this week but he also believes he can avoid the inevitable distractions.
"It's been crazy but a good crazy and this has always been one of my favourite events.
"Obviously Byron Nelson was such a fantastic role model for all of us and I've always enjoyed coming here, so (being distracted) wasn't a thought that crossed my mind."
That said, Immelman only has to look at his smudged hands to be reminded of how popular he has become since becoming Masters champion.
"The strangest thing is, you can see all the Sharpie that has rubbed off onto my hands. That normally would not be happening to me but it's from all the stuff I've had to sign today," he said.
"So that's kind of weird, how things can change so drastically in the space of a couple of weeks.
"You've got to pinch yourself when you realize you are the Masters champion and that's the reason all this is happening."
Aside from his ink-covered hands, Immelman also has a green jacket hanging in his closet to remind him of his feat.
"I see it a couple times a day and still have to pinch myself," he said. "It's just such an incredible feeling to know that I've won that tournament. That's something that can never be taken away from me."
