Splendid day for Spaniard at Augusta National

The final day of the 87th edition of the first Major tournament of the season, the Masters at Augusta National in America, is always very special.  Even more so for Spain’s Jon Rahm this year.  The 28-year old golfing talent snatched the Masters trophy and Green Jacket from America’s Brooks Koepka on Sunday.  The 9th of April would have been Spain’s late and great five-times Major winner Seve Ballesteros’ 66th birthday.  Now for the newly-crowned Masters Champion Jon Rahm from Barrika in Spain was that a real honour – a golfing dream come true.

 

An inspired Rahm shot rounds of 65, 69, 73 and 69 to get to 12-under par and so win the Masters surprisingly four strokes clear of two Americans: Phil Mickelson and Brooks Koepka.

 

Good Spanish fortune

 

Jon Rahm becomes only the second ever Spanish player to win two Majors.  Seve Ballesteros was the other.  Rahm also won the 2021 US Open.  And, judging by the superb way he played at Augusta National at the weekend, a third Major victory could easily come his way very soon.  Not only that, the Spaniard has become the fourth Masters Champion from Spain following in the honourable footsteps of Ballesteros, Jose Maria Olazabal and Sergio Garcia.

 

 

The par-72 course at Augusta National in Georgia was in immaculate condition looking so fresh and green, and, to be honest, shining as a picture of perfection.  Even with the mixed bag of weather, the greenkeepers and volunteers managed to keep the course open and dry for the event despite a few storm problems and rain postponements.  Indeed, only nine players in the field broke par on the soggy Saturday when 50mm of rain fell.  Actually many players were still finishing round two from Friday early in the morning together with a second tee start from the 10th hole.

 

The Rahm versus Koepka battle

 

On Sunday, Jon Rahm teed-off two shots behind the leader Brooks Koepka on 11-under par with a host of other players nestled in behind them including first day leader Viktor Hovland (Norway) (-8) and America’s Patrick Cantlay two shots further behind.

 

On the final day of a Major tournament it is always on the back nine that the players’ nerves begin to twinge and play havoc with the golf swing.  But Rahm played a sublime round of course management on Sunday even getting himself out of trouble after a wayward drive.

 

Brooks Koepka got off to a shakey start when he pulled his opening tee-shot way to the left.  Fortunately he was gifted with a superb second shot onto the green where he then halved in par with Rahm.  Koepka remained two ahead of the Spaniard on 11-under.

 

With two great players like Koepka and Rahm you expect a matchplay mentality on the golf course and that is exactly how the first few holes flew by.  Well, actually I say ‘flew by’ but there was actually some rather slow play nearly all the way round for these two fast players.

 

Rahm produced his first birdie on the par 4, 3rd hole to get within one stroke of the American.  On the next hole, Koepka made a bogey leaving the two in a share of the lead on 10-under.  Two holes later, Koepka made another bogey to give Rahm a one-shot lead.  This was going to be a very interesting tournament.

 

Mickelson fights his way to the top

 

Meanwhile, American Phil Mickelson was demonstrating his love of Augusta National.  He started the final round ten shots off the lead on 1-under par and carded a 7-under par 65 to soar up the leaderboard.  The 52-year old has won six Majors in his career.  Alas, it is only the US Open title that is missing from his curriculum vitae.

 

On a Sunday in a Major you often have moments that all the putts seem to drop and that is exactly what happened at the weekend.  More and more players were making birdies and giving themselves a small chance of mega publicity in the Masters.

 

Spieth on form

 

Three-times Major winner Jordan Spieth from Texas was holing out for birdies like crazy on Sunday.   He finished with a glorious 6-under, 66 to seize a share of fourth spot on 7-under with fellow Americans Patrick Reed and Russell Henley.  The 23-year old amateur Sam Bennett made a big impression at the Masters even getting himself into second spot on Friday.  The Texan golfer was awarded with the Best Amateur prize on Sunday with his 2-under par finish.

 

Alas for Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, who won the Masters in 2021, he saw a good finish hampered by a bogey, bogey finish which sent him tumbling down the leaderboard to tie 16th on 2-under par.  Defending champion Scottie Scheffler (USA) put up a good fight in his attempt to win back-to-back Masters with rounds of 68,75,71 and 70.  With a total of 284 he had to be happy with a share of 10th spot.

 

Back to the leaders

 

After 9 holes, Rahm had secured a two-shot lead over Koepka.  But the American clung on in there.  On the 11th hole, Mickelson was finally in the picture on 8-under.  The second place spot which he now shared with Koepka.

 

Brooks Koepka held his nerve and made a birdie at the 16th to secure second place on his own.  Hovland holed an enormous birdie putt at the 17th to get to 6-under.  Meanwhile Rahm was adding a few more birdies to his score at the 13th and 14th to get to 12-under.

 

Best Europeans

 

The best European player at Augusta National after Jon Rahm (Spain) was Matt Fitzpatrick from England in a share of 10th place on 4-under par.  Indeed, there were only three non-Americans at the top of the leaderboard.  Norway’s Viktor Hovland stole the show on the opening day when he tied for the lead with Rahm and Koepka.

 

The 17th was a testing hole for Koepka and Rahm.  The Spaniard had a knee-trembling putt from one and a half metres to save his par after putting up way too short for birdie.  He flicked away a fly from his ball and took his time.  This was a crucial moment in his game to win his first Masters.  He made par to stay at 12-under.  Koepka dropped a shot here to go back to 8-under.  The game looked to be in Rahm’s favour now with just the par 4 18th to conqueor.

 

Rahm had played birdie, bogey and par here the whole week.  What would Sunday in the Masters hold in store for him?  Nerves obviously took a grip on the Spaniard as he pulled his tee-shot way left.  He played a provisional ball, just in case.  But luckily for Rahm his original ball had hit a tree and come back just short of the ladies tee.  He took his time once again with his approach shot and played up short of the green whereupon he produced a classic short approach to sit by the flag looking pretty certain to hole the putt for par.

 

Koepka made his par and then Jon Rahm tapped-in his putt for 12-under par to seize his maiden victory at the 2023 Masters.

 

Many congratulations to you Jon Rahm!  You are the 2023 Masters Champion which is naturally an absolute delight for Spain.  We are delighted for you too!

 

Wendy Hoad

Editor

 

 

 

So what were the top 10 winning scores at the 2023 Masters?

The ultimate winner was Jon Rahm (Spain) with a score of -12 (65,69,73,69).

Joint second: Phil Mickelson (USA) -8 (71,69,75,65) and Brooks Koepka (USA) (65,67,73,75)

Joint 4th: Jordan Spieth (USA) -7 (69,70,76,66); Patrick Reed (USA) (71,70,72,68); and Russell Henley (USA) (73,67,71,70)

Joint 7th: Cameron Young (USA) -6 (67,72,75,68) and Viktor Hovland (Norway) (65,73,70,74)

9th Sahith Theegala (USA) -5 (73,70,73,67)

Joint 10th: Scottie Scheffler (USA) -4 (68,75,71,70); Matt Fitzpatrick (England) (70,72,72,70); Xander Schauffele (USA) (68,74,71,71) and Collin Morikawa (USA) (69,69,74,72).

 

 

MAIN PHOTOGRAPH:  2023 Masters Champion Jon Rahm from Spain is delighted with his victory.  CENTRE (minis l-r): Jon Rahm, Viktor Hovland, Scottie Scheffler and Phil Mickelson.  BELOW (minis l-r): Viktor Hovland, Justin Rose, Cameron Young and Brooks Koepka.