Player compares Immelman's swing with Hogan

By Mark Lamport-Stokes

AUGUSTA, Georgia (Reuters) - U.S. Masters pacesetter Trevor Immelman was bracketed with the game's greatest ball-striker by fellow South African Gary Player on Friday.

Immelman charged one shot clear by firing a four-under-par 68 in the second round at Augusta National, drawing comparisons with American golfing great Ben Hogan.

"Trevor played incredible golf today," nine-times major champion Player, 72, told reporters.

"His swing is absolutely the closest that I have seen to Ben Hogan, and I've always thought that Ben Hogan was the best striker of the ball from tee to green that I saw."

Hogan, also a winner of nine major titles, is widely regarded as the greatest ball striker of all time and was instrumental in influencing instructional theory on the golf swing.

Player, a three-time champion at Augusta National, returned a six-over-par 78 on Friday in his record 51st Masters appearance.

Despite missing the halfway cut with a 17-over total of 161, the diminutive South African plans to be back at Augusta next year.

"If I can walk around here like an athlete, which I can, and I can play reasonably well, then I'd like to keep playing," he said.

(Editing by Greg Stutchbury)