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Jon Rahm wins the 2023 Masters and becomes the second Spanish player to achieve multiple major victories
Jon Rahm clinched his first Green Jacket and second career major with an unbeatable display at Augusta National, winning the 2023 Masters on Sunday.
The Spaniard remained clinical throughout and secured a four-shot victory ahead of the LIV Golf Series duo of Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson.
After two days of miserable weather had caused multiple interruptions in the historic 87th edition of the major tournament, it was fitting that blue skies and sunshine provided the backdrop for Rahm's coronation. With his victory, Rahm pushed the current Masters champion, Scottie Scheffler, down to World No. 2.
Rahm started the tournament with a double bogey on a four-putt, but quickly recovered and finished the final round with a 3-under 69 to end at 12-under without looking back.
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On the birthday of the late Spanish golf icon Seve Ballesteros, who won the Masters in 1980 and 1983, Rahm became the fourth Spanish player to win the Green Jacket and the first European golfer to win both the Masters and US Open since his victory at Torrey Pines in 2021.
Ballesteros, Jose Maria Olazabal, and Sergio Garcia are the only other three Spaniards to have donned the Green Jacket before Rahm, with Olazabal being the first to tearfully embrace the new champion on the 18th green.
"The history of the game is a big part of why I play and one of the reasons I play. Seve is one of those reasons," Rahm said.
"If it wasn't for the 1997 Ryder Cup, my dad and I always talk about it. I don't know where I am, where I stand as a family, if that event doesn't happen.
"To do it on Easter Sunday, on the anniversary of his win 40 years ago, on his birthday, it's hard to explain and it's hard to put into words, but I know he's watching down on us, I know he's proud of me and I know he helped me get through those last couple of holes."
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Rahm successfully overcame the 2-shot lead that Koepka brought into the final round. The American had held at least a share of the lead since the end of the first round, but saw his dream of a first Green Jacket and fifth career major slip away rapidly in the face of Rahm's relentless afternoon charge.
Mickelson rolled back the years with a final-round best of 65 to finish inside the top five of a major as the oldest golfer ever to do so. The three-time Green Jacket winner, aged 52, bagged eight birdies at Augusta and wore a broad smile.
It was the lowest round ever posted by a player aged 50 or over, coming on the day after Fred Couples had become the oldest player to make the cut in a major.
Jordan Spieth finished with a strong final round 66, making nine birdies to finish at 7-under. The 2015 champion finished tied with Russell Henley and Patrick Reed, with three LIV Golf players in the top 4.
Defending champion seemed unlikely after Scottie Scheffler endured a frustrating second round 75.
Talented amateur Sam Bennett had a fantastic week at Augusta, winning hearts and praise. The 23-year-old Texan, who had his late father's last advice tattooed on his wrist, finished tied for 16th with a score of 76 in his Masters debut.
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On Sunday
After two miserable days of conditions and stop/start action, a clear blue sky finally appeared over Augusta National, prompting a green light for the race to avoid a Monday finish in a major for the first time since 1983.
The battle against the clock had already been underway on Saturday, following Friday's bad weather - characterized by strong winds that were strong enough to fell three large pine trees - with play suspended at night and several players needing to complete their second rounds.
That group included Rahm, who, after reducing Koepka's lead to two, teamed up with Bennett to navigate six holes of the rain-soaked third round on Saturday. By the time the horn sounded to suspend play, Koepka's four-stroke cushion had been restored. Koepka skillfully weathered the storm, while his Spanish rival dropped down the leaderboard with consecutive bogeys.
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The bright weather on Sunday brought a familiar atmosphere to the picturesque Augusta National, but Tiger Woods' classic Sunday red was an unusual sight. Despite visibly struggling with movement throughout the weekend, the 15-time major champion fought through to the record-equalling 23rd cut before announcing his withdrawal due to injury a few hours before play resumed on Sunday.
The 47-year-old, who admitted to "constant" pain following the opening round, had been rooted to the bottom of the leaderboard and was seen limping towards his golf bag on the final hole of the weekend. He will be absent from major play once again.
After two players carded 1-over 72 in the third round just hours before, Rahm again closed the gap on Koepka to two strokes.
Canter
Koepka found the fairway with his first drive: the 9th fairway. Still, the American recovered beautifully from a wild opening hook, planting his follow-up shot on the green before saving par.
His relief was short-lived, however. After Rahm sunk the first birdie of the day on the 3rd, Koepka bogeyed the 4th and 6th holes. For the first time since Friday's 2nd hole, there was a new outright leader at the summit.
The scent of blood in the water, eyes like steel, Rahm accelerated, knocking a beautiful approach within a few feet on the 8th before tapping in a birdie for two clear. Meanwhile, Koepka faltered, dropping an additional two shots by the 12th hole.
To make matters worse for the LIV Golf star, those behind were gaining momentum. While Mickelson and Spieth were ultimately too late to snatch victory, Koepka's slide propelled Mickelson up the leaderboard.
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When a frustrated Koepka finally achieved his first birdie of the afternoon on the 13th hole, breaking a streak of 22 consecutive holes without a birdie, Rahm matched his effort just seconds later.
Hopes that Koepka's boost would ignite a dramatic comeback were shattered on the next hole, as he again bogeyed and Rahm calmly snatched a birdie.
What had looked like a captivating two-horse race had turned into a gallop. Up front, the challenge of American duo Reed and Henley ran out of time, and even Koepka's consecutive birdies on the 15th and 16th holes only narrowed the gap to three.
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On the final hole with a four-shot lead, Rahm was likely hit with his first wave of fear of the day as his tee shot sailed towards the trees. It became reminiscent of the scene from a year ago where the runaway leader, Schauffele, stumbled and finished with a shaky four-putt. But the result was the same again. Rahm hit a provisional before realizing his original ball had bounced back into the fairway.
With a stunning approach shot to the green, Rahm was able to bask in the applause of the Augusta regulars as the champion. The ball just managed to find the bottom of the cup before Rahm lifted his arms to the sky, sealing a dominant victory.
