Jon Rahm secured a magical Masters Tournament victory 40 years on from his hero Seve Ballesteros’ second win at Augusta National Golf Club, becoming a two-time Major Champion in memorable fashion.
The Spaniard emulated his countryman Ballesteros on what would have been his 66th birthday, as Rahm hunted down third-round leader Brooks Koepka before cruising to a four-shot victory to earn his first Green Jacket and a fifth top-ten finish in seven visits to Augusta.
World Number Three Rahm, who was among the pre-tournament favourites, overcame plenty of adversity on his route to victory, having started the week by four-putting the first hole on Thursday.
And after a series of weather delays on Friday and Saturday, he had to complete 30 holes on Sunday – starting the day four shots behind Koepka.
Rahm, the 2021 U.S. Open Champion, had cut that gap in half by the time the pair finished their delayed third rounds in the morning.
And he made further inroads when round four started in the afternoon, wiping out the deficit inside four holes before taking a two-shot lead into the back nine.
Brilliant back-to-back birdies at the 13th and 14th gave Rahm a four-shot buffer and he parred his way home to sign for a closing 69 and finish the tournament on 12 under par.
“If it wasn’t for that Ryder Cup in ’97 (at Valderrama Golf Club) – my dad and I talk about it all the time – we don’t know where I would be or where as a family we would be,” said Rahm.
“For me to get it done on the 40th anniversary of his win, his (Ballesteros’) birthday, on Easter Sunday, it’s incredibly meaningful.
“To finish it off the way I did – an unusual par, very much a Seve par – it was in a non-purposeful way, a testament to him, and I know he was pulling for me today, and it was a great Sunday.”
Koepka finished in a tie for second on eight under alongside fellow American Phil Mickelson.
Jordan Spieth, Patrick Reed and Russell Henley were in a tie for fourth on seven under, one ahead of Norway’s Viktor Hovland and American Cameron Young.
