JON RAHM struck a mighty blow in opposition to the LIV upstarts with a Masters triumph that additionally supplied an emotional hyperlink to his boyhood idol, Seve Ballesteros.
Rahm simply noticed off LIV rebels Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson and Patrick Reed on a day when Seve – who died tragically of mind most cancers in 2011 – would have celebrated his 66th birthday.
5
5
5
And that is additionally the fortieth anniversary of the primary of Ballesteros’ two Masters victories – ushering in a 12 months the place European golfers have constantly punched approach above their weight at Augusta.
Seve – who beloved to place one over on the Individuals, at Augusta and within the Ryder Cup – was the primary European winner right here.
Rahm turned the tenth participant from the opposite aspect of the Atlantic to tug on a Inexperienced Jacket, with that posse of {golfing} greats sharing 15 victories between them.
Rahm can be the fourth Spanish golfer in that band of brothers, after Ballesteros, Jose Maria Olazabal, and Sergio Garcia.
That may be a formidable foursome.
And there have been loads of examples of that well-known Spanish aptitude, as a remaining spherical 69 carried the Basque battler – Rahm hails from the northern village of Barrika, inhabitants 1,500 – to a 4 shot victory.
Rahmbo admitted he was very aware of making an attempt to proceed the good Spanish custom right here, as he talked about it earlier than teeing off on Thursday.
He stated: “I am clearly very conscious that it is the fortieth anniversary since Seve’s second win out right here. So it is one thing that is essential to me, proper?
FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
5
5
“And I feel when Ollie received in 1999, Sergio was making his first begin within the Masters, as an newbie. And when Sergio received it was my first Masters as properly.
“I hope historical past repeats itself and I get to win some day.”
This was THAT day
Rahm, 28, not often had an anxious second as he swatted apart enjoying accomplice Brooks Koepka and dismissed a remaining day cost from his fellow LIV insurgent Mickelson.
Three time Grasp champion Mickelson stormed right into a share of second place with a sensational remaining spherical 65.
That was an astonishing efficiency from a 52-year-old who has proven no kind since changing into the oldest Main winner ever on the 2021 USPGA, earlier than accepting a $200million signing on for from LIV’s Saudi Arabian backers
Mickelson even sidestepped final 12 months’s Masters after inflicting uproar by describing his Saudi paymasters as “scary motherf***ers”.
He can nonetheless be a bit horrifying himself when he will get the bit between his enamel as a course that has supplied him with so many glad recollections.
Reed, the 2018 champion, additionally made a remaining day run with a closing 68, however needed to accept a share of fourth with Jordan Spieth.
The ultimate day spectators additionally witnessed an incredible collapse by four-time Main winner Koepka, who solely secured joint second with two late birdies, as soon as his shot on the title had gone.
Koepka appeared to have one arm within the inexperienced jacket after main from day one, when he was certainly one of three gamers to open with a 65.
He took the solo lead two holes into the second spherical, and was there to be shot at from that time on.
However the writing was on the opening just some minutes after he returned to the course yesterday morning to finish the 13 holes left from the rain-delayed third spherical.
Koepka was 4 photographs away from Rahm at 13 beneath par – however he confronted the nervous prospect of an eleven footer for par on the seventh, whereas his enjoying accomplice had a birdie probability for 3 toes nearer.
Kopeka missed. Rahm made his.
And from that time onward the momentum was at all times with the world No 3, who was the good hope of a victory for {the golfing} institution over the LIV money-grabbers.
Koepka nonetheless clung to a two shot lead after 54 holes, however Rahm’s birdie on the third and a bogey from the American on the fourth introduced them stage.
One other dropped shot on the brief sixth menat Kopeka had to have a look at a leaderboard with out his identify on high of it for the primary time in virtually 72 hours.
It didn’t make for fairly viewing. And neither did his golf as he plunged to 4 over for his spherical by 12 holes, to fall three photographs off the lead.
It might have been simple guilty the truth that this was a spherical too far for Koepka, who solely has to play three rounds in every occasion on the breakaway circuit.
However the flying finishes from Mickelson and Reed meant that was no excuse. He was simply approach beneath his finest.
Rahm knew he didn’t must do something particular as the remaining didn’t land a significant blow – however he virtually did that anyway, as he went near chipping in for an eagle on the par 5 eighth.
Most pundits say the Masters solely actually begins as soon as the leaders get to the again 9.
Not this time. It was already achieved and dusted, and Rahm made doubly positive with back-to-back birdies at 13 and 14.
He was merely a category above the remaining.
