PGA TOUR
The Masters
Jon Rahm Wins The Masters, Returns To World No. 1
Jon Rahm claimed the 87th Masters. The 28-year-old scored a four-shot victory over Phil Mickelson and Brooks Koepka. With his fourth win in 2023, Rahm overtakes Scottie Scheffler as world No. 1.
It was an emotional victory for Rahm, who dons the Green Jacket on the birthday of his childhood hero the late Seve Ballesteros. Rahm becomes the fourth Spaniard to win The Masters joining Ballesteros (1980 & 83), Jose Maria Olazabal (1994 & 1999) and Sergio Garcia (2017). Rahm, who won the 2021 US Open, is only the second player from Spain to win two different majors (Ballesteros won The Masters & The Open).
Rahm trailed Koepka by four shots when third round play resumed early on Sunday morning. The margin was two shots in favour of Koepka when the final round teed off Sunday afternoon. Rahm halved the deficit with his birdie at the third hole before moving into the outright lead three holes later after Koepka dropped shots at the 4th and 6th holes. Rahm extended his lead to two shots with another birdie at the par 5, 8th hole and picked up two more birdies on the back nine for a 3-under 69 final round that got him to 12-under.
It is the seventh straight men’s major won by a golfer in their 20s.
Mickelson and Koepka shared second place at 8-under. Mickelson fired a superb final round 7-under 65. The resurgent left-hander’s score was the best round on Sunday. Mickelson, aged 52, became the oldest player in Masters history to claim a top 5 finish besting Jimmy Demeret (aged 51). The six-time major winner’s closing 65 was the lowest round in any Masters by a golfer aged 50 and older. Koepka was searching for his fifth major title. The 32-year-old equalled his best Masters finish (T2 in 2019 behind Tiger Woods). Koepka was wayward most of the final round signing for a final round 3-over 75. It was the first time from four attempts he failed to convert his 54-hole lead in a major into victory.
Jordan Spieth continued his tremendous record at Augusta finishing in a tie for fourth place with a stunning 6-under 66 to reach 7-under. The 29-year-old American, who won The Masters in 2015, now owns six top 5s finishes—the most by any player at The Masters before the age of 30. Patrick Reed and Russell Henley joined Spieth at 7-under. Reed, who The Masters in 2018, birdied the 72nd hole for a final round 4-under 68. Henley produced his first top 10 at a major with his Sunday score of 70.
Defending champion and world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler was looking to become the fourth player to record consecutive victories at Augusta. The 26-year-old American surged into an eight-way tie for third place at 6-under after picking up four unanswered birdies over the opening 11 holes. The Texan’s hopes to join Jack Nicklaus (1965-66), Nick Faldo (1989-90) and Tiger Woods (2001-02) were crushed after scoring a double-bogey at the infamous par 3, 12th hole. Scheffler finished T10 with a round of 70 for a 4-under total.
Tiger Woods made more history at Augusta tying a Masters record with Fred Couples and Gary Player for the most consecutive cuts made, 23 times.
The 47-year-old qualified for the weekend on the cut line at 3-over before withdrawing on Sunday due to his reoccurring leg injuries.
Couples became the oldest player at The Masters to make the weekend after rounds of 71 and 74 left him at 1-over through 36 holes. The 1992 Masters champion, aged 63 years and 187 days, broke the mark set by Bernhard Langer (63 years and 78 days). The Hall of Famer finished T51 at 9-over.
Rory McIlroy failed in his bid to complete the career Grand Slam by winning at Augusta. The world No. 2 posted a 5-over 77 to miss the cut for the second time in the last three years.
The 2022 Open champion Cameron Smith led the five Australians in the field. The 29-year-old finished T34 at 4-over. Jason Day and former Masters champion Adam Scott were a shot further back at 5-over. Rising star Min Woo Lee and amateur Harrison Crowe missed the cut.
Sam Bennett won the low amateur honour earning the coveted Silver Cup. The US Amateur champion opened with back-to-back 68s to rest at 8-under after 36 holes. Ken Venturi (1956) is the only amateur to go lower after 36 holes at The Masters. Bennett lost ground over the weekend carding rounds of 76 and 74 for a T16 finish at 2-under.
The PGA Tour moves to South Carolina for next week’s RBC Heritage staged at Hilton Head Island. America’s Jordan Spieth is the defending champion.
Final Scores
The Masters
1. Jon Rahm -12
T2. Brooks Koepka -8
T2. Phil Mickelson -8
T4. Jordan Spieth -7
T4. Patrick Reed -7
T4. Russell Henley -7
T7. Cameron Young -6
T7. Viktor Hovland -6
Australians
T34. Cameron Smith +4
T39. Jason Day +5
T39. Adam Scott +5
MC. Min Woo Lee
MC. Harrison Crowe
Photo credit: Christian Petersen/Getty Images
