Rahm wins first green jacket at marathon Masters on Ballesteros’ Augusta anniversary

Phil Mickelson reacts to his birdie putt on the 18th green during the final round of the 2023 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. (Photo: Patrick Smith/Getty Images).

By Craig Ray

10 Apr 2023

Jon Rahm became the fourth Spaniard after Seve Ballesteros, José María Olazábal and Sergio García to win the Masters with a commanding four-stroke victory at Augusta National on Sunday 9 April.

Few sporting events in the world, if any, place as much emphasis on sentimentality as the Masters. Commentators strain for every connection to the past to prove that the winner’s victory at the season’s first major was due to some divine/ethereal intervention rather than their own skill.

Read more in Daily Maverick: Rory ready for Masters onslaught — but serene Scheffler looks unflappable

Jon Rahm, 28, the third-ranked player in the world going into the tournament, who possesses a power game and deft touch, was therefore an unsurprising winner. He had already won three PGA Tour events this season, coming into the 2023 Masters.

His 12-under total 276, after a final round 69, saw him beat LIV golfers Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson by four strokes on what would have been Spanish great Seve Ballesteros’ birthday.

Jon Rahm celebrates winning the 2023 Masters at the Augusta National Golf Club. (Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images).

Marathon Sunday after delays

It was a marathon Sunday after weather delays. Rahm had to play 29-and-a-half holes in search of his maiden Masters, starting at 8.30am local time. Mentally and physically, it was draining but he never wilted.

Despite many portents pointing to Rahm having a great chance of winning, Rahm himself, perhaps buying into the narrative driven by the media, said he drew inspiration from Ballesteros’ Augusta win.

“History of the game is a big part of why I play and one of the reasons why I play, and Seve being one of them,” Rahm said during the green jacket presentation in the Butler Cabin.

“For me to get it done on the 40th anniversary of his win, his birthday, on Easter Sunday, it’s incredibly meaningful. To finish it off the way I did – a Seve par – it was in a testament to him, and I know he was pulling for me today.

“This one was for Seve. He was up there helping, and help he did.” (Seve ballesteros died of brain cancer in May 2011.)

Relentless form

Regardless of where he drew his inspiration from, Rahm was excellent from the second hole of the tournament to the 72nd.

He started his 2023 Augusta assault with a double bogey on the very first hole, courtesy of a four-putt. It might have ended lesser players’ tournaments before they had really began, but not Rahm.

He rallied to play the next 17 holes in nine-under par to sign for a first-round 65 and a share of the lead with Koepka and Norway’s Viktor Hovland.

From then on Rahm was in the mix. Koekpa set the pace for the most part, and occasionally stretched his lead to four shots over the field during the first three rounds. But he couldn’t completely shake off the relentless Rahm.

Because of storms on Saturday and a waterlogged course, the completion of the third round was delayed until Sunday. Koepka held a four-shot lead over Rahm during the third round, but by the start of the final round, the lead was two.

On the par-three sixth Rahm took a share of the lead after an up-and-down to save par while Koepka bogeyed. It was the first time since the first round that the American didn’t hold a solo lead.

Brooks Koepka drives from the 15th tee during the final round of the 2023 Masters Tournament at Augusta. (Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

LIV golfers surprise

Koepka and three-time Masters champion Mickelson, two of LIV's biggest names, finished sharing second place.

Read more in Daily Maverick: Augusta sets the stage to play off the PGA Tour against breakaway LIV Golf

Patrick Reed, who won the Masters in 2018, was a further shot back with a share of fourth, while Joaquin Niemann was the next best from LIV Golf as he ended up tied for 16th.

This year’s Masters was the first since LIV Golf launched in June 2022, and 18 players from the lucrative circuit, whose 54-hole tournaments with no cuts have raised talk about their competitiveness, teed it up in the year’s first major.

Koepka said nobody should be surprised to see that he and his LIV Golf peers posed a threat at Augusta National, which is one of the game's biggest stages.

“We’re still the same people. So I mean, I know if I’m healthy, I know I can compete. I don’t think any of the guys that played this event thought otherwise, either,” Koepka said.

“When Phil plays good, we know he’s going to compete,” he added. “P-Reed, the same thing. I think that’s just manufactured by the media that we can’t compete anymore; that we are washed up.”

Wheels fell off for Koepka

The wheels fells off for Koepka, whose lead disappeared after four holes, and he was never able to threaten the rest of the way as he closed with a three-over-par 75.

Mickelson began the final round 10 shots behind Koepka but fired the low score of the day, a seven-under-par 65, leaping into contention.

Although it proved too little too late for Mickelson, the six-time major said he and the others from LIV Golf were not out to prove a point to other players in the field.

“I wouldn’t look at it like that,” Mickelson said. “I’m very appreciative that we’re here; that we are able to play in the majors. And I thought it was exciting that this tournament rose above it all to have the best players in the world here and lost all the pettiness; that was great.”

Phil Mickelson reacts to his birdie putt on the 18th green during the final round of the 2023 Masters Tournament at Augusta. (Photo: Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Augusta cleared the way

Augusta National cleared the way last December for eligible players from LIV Golf to compete in the year’s first major.

If not exempt, a player’s standing in the world ranking is the key for them to gain access to the majors, and LIV Golf players have tumbled down the list as they await a ruling on their eligibility while competing on the Saudi-backed circuit.

Niemann was more than pleased with his Masters performance as it will afford him some ranking points.

“Hopefully they figure something out, then let all the top players be playing with the top players in the majors,” Niemann said. “I think this week was important just in case. I mean, hopefully get a few points.”

Rahm shuts the door

Despite the late challenges in the groups ahead, they were always too little, too late. Rahm’s main rival was playing alongside him and the Spaniard gradually moved ahead.

On the par-five eight, a Rahm birdie saw Koepka fall behind for the first time in three days.

By the turn, Rahm led by two as Koepka’s game went cold. By that stage he’d gone 22 holes without a birdie and Rahm was relentless. He slammed the door on Koepka with consecutive birdies on the 13th and 14th holes to take a five-shot lead with four holes to play.

Only a disastrous collapse would deny Rahm his second major, after his 2021 US Open victory, but that was never going to happen.

He flirted with disaster by pulling his final drive on the 18th, and was forced to hit a provisional. But he found the original ball and got up and down for a par in the greatest Ballesteros tradition.

Perhaps there was a higher force at work after all. DM

Additional reporting by Reuters.

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