The Masters 2023 LIVE: Leaderboard and reaction as Jon Rahm wins first green jacket
Rahm outduelled Brooks Koepka and honoured the late Seve Ballesteros to triumph in style at Augusta
Jon Rahm produced a nerveless Sunday performance to claim his first Masters green jacket in dominant but emotional style at Augusta National, in the perfect tribute to the late Seve Ballesteros.
Forty years after golfing icon Ballesteros claimed his second green jacket, and on what would have been his 66th birthday, Rahm became the fourth Spanish winner after Ballesteros, Jose Maria Olazabal and Sergio Garcia.
“This one is for Seve,” Rahm said after winning his second major crown. “I knew he would be up there helping and help he did.”
The fourth and final round of a wild week at Augusta looked set to be a shootout between Rahm and four-time major winner Brooks Koepka.
But as the American faded in the fourth round, his Spanish foe relentlessly marched on, adding to his 2021 US Open crown by carding a 69 to end on 12-under. Rahm secured a four-shot triumph over Koepka and a rejuvenated Phil Mickelson, who shot a magical Sunday 65 at the age of 52 to end in a tie for second at eight-under.
Follow the reaction to the final round below:
Reed finishes up
Reed -7 (68)
The LIV golfer knocks in a birdie effort at the last to complete a very respectable round of 68. It’s currently good enough for a tie for fourth.
Koepka -8 (15), Rahm -12 (15)
Rahm’s tee shot leaves him with no other option but to lay up but it’s exquisite touch to fly his wedge to just 11 feet. Koepka takes on the green in two and makes it but his lengthy eagle effort comes up short and he has to settle for birdie - just his second of the round as he moves back into a tie for second.
Rahm lines up his birdie effort up the slope...not to be and it drifts off to the right. An easy enough par for the Spaniard and he maintains his four-shot lead.
Hovland finds the water on 15
Hovland -5 (15), Cantlay -4 (15)
The pair bogeyed 14 and 15 gets no better. Cantlay can only make par while Hovland’s second falls back into the water hazard. He does well to get up and down to save his par and remains on five under par.
Bogey for Reed
Reed -6 (17)
Patrick finds himself in the bunker after his second shot and is unable to get up and down to save his par. He drops back to six under and his extremely faint chances are now gone.
Henley pars 15
Matsuyama -4 (15), Henley -7 (15)
Henley misses a good look at birdie on the par-five 15 and has to settle at par. He’s had a bogey-free back-nine but that’s also yet to include a birdie. Just three holes left for him to try and get near to Rahm. Matsuyama makes par and remains one-over-par for his round.
Rahm leads by four with back-to-back birdies
Koepka -7 (14), Rahm -12 (14)
Koepka goes first with his long-range effort...and he really gives it a go. It flies past the hole and he has work to do to make par. He can’t find the return putt and it’s another bogey for Koepka - what a disaster of a final round this has been from him.
The same can’t be said of Jon Rahm. His birdie effort catches the left edge and drops in at the last moment. The Spaniard moves to 12 under and he now leads by FOUR. Commanding stuff.
Glorious shot from Rahm on 14
Koepka -8 (13), Rahm -11 (13)
Both Koepka and Rahm find themselves in the rough after their drives. Koepka goes first and probably thinks he’s done quite well to chase on up to the back of the green. Rahm, albeit with a better lie, flies a superb iron to the back-left portion of the green. It works its way down towards the hole beautifully and that is a great look for birdie for Rahm.
Reed saves par on 16
Reed -7 (16)
Patrick Reed is now three back off Rahm but he makes a good par save from the sand on 16 to follow up the birdie he made on 15.
You have to think he needs two birdies coming in to stand a chance, however.
Rahm leads by three
Koepka -8 (13), Rahm -11 (13)
Koepka’s lie isn’t as bad as it first looked but he races by the chip initially. However, it’s a great return putt and a much-needed birdie for Koepka - his first of the day.
Rahm shows great touch to nurse his chip down to just five feet and he knocks it in for a birdie. Massive putt for the Spaniard - he now leads Koepka and Mickelson by three.
The defending champion signs off
Scheffler -4 (68)
Scottie Scheffler taps in for a par on the last and the defending champion’s reign will last just a few more hours. A week where the putter was completely stone cold for the world number one and so to end up just outside the top ten speaks to the level of his ball striking this week.
They’ll be plenty more majors that he will contend in, that’s for sure.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments