AUGUSTA, Ga. — The standard in golf this year proved to be the standard at Augusta National Golf Club this week. Jon Rahm, making his seventh appearance at the year’s first major championship, put together a strong, steady and complete performance Sunday to rally from four strokes down and win the 2023 Masters, capturing his first green jacket.
Now a two-time major champion after previously taking the 2021 U.S. Open, Rahm is the fourth Spanish golfer to win the Masters, joining Sergio Garcia (2017), José María Olazábal (1994, 1999) and the legendary Seve Ballesteros (1980, 1983). Rahm donned the green jacket Sunday night on what would have been Ballesteros’ 66th birthday on the 40th anniversary of his second Masters win. This after Rahm played a practice round with Garcia and Olazábal on Tuesday.
Rahm also became just the third golfer in Masters history to win by four shots at Augusta National despite not leading entering the final round, joining Ballesteros (1983) and Nick Faldo (1996).
“History of the game is a big part of why I play and one of the reasons why I play, and Seve being one of them,” Rahm said while being awarded the green jacket in Butler Cabin. “… For me to get it done on the 40th anniversary of his win, his birthday, on Easter Sunday, it’s incredibly meaningful. And to finish it off the way that I did — an unusual par, very much a Seve par — it was, in a non-purposeful way, a testament to him. I know he was pulling for me today, and it was a great Sunday.”
The Masters marks the fourth win for the 28-year-old Rahm on the PGA Tour already this year with prior 2023 victories at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, The American Express and the Genesis Invitational. He appeared to take a step back with some uncommon inconsistencies in recent weeks, but Rahm was clearly on his game at Augusta National.
Sitting four strokes back of 42-hole leader Brooks Koepka when the weather-delayed third round resumed early Sunday, Rahm methodically and unwaveringly chipped away at his deficit and flipped the script on the 18-, 36- and 54-hole leader. Rahm ultimately finished 12 under, four strokes clear of Kopeka (-8), who took tied for second place with Phil Mickelson.
The Spaniard halved Koepka’s lead over the final 12 holes of their third rounds, moved even with the tournament-long leader at the 5th in Round 4, pulled ahead one hole later and took off from there with Koepka falling two strokes behind at the 8th and never getting closer.
By the time the final pair completed the 14th — a birdie for Rahm and bogey for Koepka — the man affectionately known as Rahmbo held a five-shot lead, completing a nine-stroke swing from where the behemoths began the day. Once the final putts fell, Rahm carded a fourth-round 69 to finish 3 under across the final 30 holes Sunday, while Koepka posted a 75 and finished 5 over across the same span.
Koepka went 23 holes — from the 8th in Round 3 to the 13th in Round 4 — without scoring a single birdie while posting six bogeys, allowing the unfazed Rahm to choose the spots in which he upped the aggressiveness while climbing into the lead. Though a golfer of his ability and athleticism was likely unfazed by the rigors of Augusta National, Koepka this week completed a 72-hole event for the first time since the 2022 U.S. Open, a 10-month span.
Rahm’s comeback victory began well before action picked up Sunday morning. Opening the Masters with a four-putt double bogey on his first hole Thursday, Rahm became just the second player to win the Masters despite scoring double or worse to begin the tournament (Sam Snead, 1952).
CBS Sports will update this story with additional analysis and highlights. Check out a more detailed leaderboard.
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