Jon Rahm became fourth Spaniard to claim Masters glory after finishing four shots clear of Brooks Koepka on Sunday; his triumph came on birthday of the late Seve Ballesteros and 40 years since his compatriot's second win at Augusta National; Brooks Koepka condemns 'brutally slow' play
Monday 10 April 2023 18:25, UK
Jon Rahm was overcome with emotion after becoming the fourth Spanish golfer to seal Masters glory, proclaiming “this one was for Seve”.
The 28-year-old's victory at Augusta National on Sunday, April 9 came on what would have been the 66th birthday of the late Seve Ballesteros, who became the first golfer from Spain to don the famous Green Jacket in 1980.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of Ballesteros' second Masters triumph in 1983 too and the significance was not lost on Rahm, a keen student of golf history whose parents were inspired to take up the sport after watching a Europe team captained by their compatriot claim a Ryder Cup victory at Valderrama in 1997.
"Obviously we all dream of things like this as players, and you try to visualise what it's going to be like and what it's going to feel like," said Rahm, who was greeted by another Spanish former Masters champion in Jose Maria Olazabal after holing out on the 18th.
"And when I hit that third shot on the green, and I could tell it was close by the crowd's reaction, just the wave of emotion of so many things just overtook me. Never thought I was going to cry by winning a golf tournament, but I got very close on that 18th hole.
"And a lot of it because of what it means to me, and to Spanish golf: It's Spain's 10th major, fourth player to win the Masters, and my second major win. It's pretty incredible.
"This one was for Seve. He was up there helping and help he did."
Rahm had begun his final round trailing playing partner Brooks Koepka by four strokes, but produced a near-flawless round of 69, which included four birdies, to capitalise on errors from the American and finish four shots clear at 12-under-par for the tournament.
It marked his second major triumph, having clinched US Open glory at Torrey Pines two years ago, and he was surprised to learn he had become the first European to complete the Masters and US Open double.
"I find it hard to believe, the first one," Rahm said. "If there's anything better than accomplishing something like this, it is making history.
"Out of all the accomplishments and the many great players that have come before me, to be the first to do something like that, it's a very humbling feeling.
This one was for Seve. He was up there helping and help he did.
"It is a pretty good duo of majors. The US Open is about as hard a test as you're ever going to find, and I was trying to think, I was never going to win a major again unless it was at Torrey Pines.
"It's not like it was that long ago, but to come somewhere where I've been comfortable. I kept seeing the stats, the lowest score to par out of two starts and how great I've done here in the past but never gave myself a chance to win. All I asked for was a chance, and I got it."
This year's success was Rahm's best showing at Augusta National since finishing fourth in 2018, having made his debut at the iconic venue the previous year, and four of those previous six Masters appearances had yielded top-10 finishes.
Whether coincidence or an omen, that first year playing in the Masters in 2017 was the same year another Spaniard in Sergio Garcia secured his maiden major title, with his play-off win over Justin Rose coming on Sunday, April 9 as well.
"I think the main thing, something that gave me a lot of hope - and that kind of started when Sergio won in '17 - is that pretty much every great-name Spanish player has won here," said Rahm, who moved back up to world No 1 on the back of this win.
"There's got to be something here about having a Spanish passport, there's something about the grounds that transmits into all of us. Even that year, I played good - I played good every year.
"I can't pinpoint exactly the first time [I thought I would win the Masters], but it really became clear to me that year."
Brooks Koepka criticised the pace of play after he finished behind Jon Rahm.
Koepka had a two-shot lead going into the final round at Augusta National, but could only card a closing 75 to finish joint second with Phil Mickelson, four shots behind Rahm.
The final pair took close to five hours to complete their rounds, although they waited on almost every hole and Patrick Cantlay - in the group ahead with Viktor Hovland - was widely held to be responsible for the slow going.
"The group in front of us was brutally slow," Koepka said. "Jon went to the bathroom like seven times during the round, and we were still waiting."
Hovland also appeared frustrated with Cantlay's slow pace, playing his third shot to the par-five 13th while the American was still walking towards the green.
Koepka was bidding to secure the third leg of a career Grand Slam, the former world No 1 having won four majors in eight starts between 2017 and 2019 - a stretch which included finishing joint second behind Tiger Woods at Augusta in 2019.
The 32-year-old has struggled to reproduce that form as he battled a succession of injuries in the last two years, but believes he can add to his major tally going forward.
"I've known this for a while, but I guess it was just a matter of going out and doing it," he said. "I led for three rounds and just didn't do it on the last day, that's it. Plain and simple.
"Eventually this will be a positive. I'd say probably give it a week and I'll start to see some positives out of it and carry this over to the PGA, the US Open and The Open.
"But right now, it's kind of tough to see, if I'm honest, probably for the next few hours and the next few days."
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