On what would have been Seve Ballesteros’ 66th birthday, and on the 40th anniversary of his second Masters triumph, it was fitting that fellow Spaniard Jon Rahm laid claim to the green jacket at Augusta National. The poignancy and significance of the achievement, and its timing, will not be lost on Rahm, a player guided by the light of Spain’s golfing heroes of the past.
“History of the game is a big reason why I play and Seve is a big part of that history,” Rahm reflected. “For me to get it done on the 40th anniversary of his second Masters win and on his birthday was incredibly meaningful.”
Setting aside the historic significance of Rahm’s victory, it is a seminal moment in his golfing career. His triumph at the US Open back in 2021 got the monkey off his back as far as winning a major championship was concerned, and this Masters triumph is another bucket-list item for Rahm to tick off. He follows in the footsteps of compatriots Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal in donning the famous green jacket.
Rahm can now call himself a multiple major champion, and given his form this season you wouldn’t be surprised if he added another major or two to his record this year. The PGA Championship, US Open and British Open are all still to come in 2023, and Rahm will be amongst the favourites in the sports bets for all of those tournaments.
There was a nervy moment for Rahm on the very first hole of the tournament, where he four-putted to record a worrying double bogey. However, the Spaniard barely put a foot wrong for the rest of the tournament, carding rounds of 65, 69, 73 and 69 again to claim an impressive triumph, reeling in Brooks Koepka to win by four clear strokes in the end.
At one point, it looked as though the tournament was Koepka’s to lose. A sensational opening two rounds of 65 and 67 set him well on course, but the American’s form deserted him over the weekend, with a 75 on Sunday the final nail in the coffin. Fellow LIV golfer Phil Mickelson enjoyed a sensational surge up the leaderboard on the final day, carding a sensational 65 to earn a tie for second with Koepka.
With Patrick Reed finishing tied for fourth, it was a good week for those representing LIV Golf, and proof perhaps that the alternate format featured on the Saudi-backed tour will not prevent its best players from competing when push comes to shove at the major championships.
But this Masters Tournament was all about Rahm. The win brings him back to the summit of the world rankings, and he will be the man to beat for the rest of the season. Rahm now has four wins to his name in 2023, and the Spaniard is showing no signs of slowing down.
There is still so much to play for this season, and while Rahm was visibly emotional as he donned the green jacket, there was very much a feeling that this was only a stepping stone on his journey towards becoming one of golf’s all-time greats.
