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:
Schauffele making a move
Schauffele -5 (4)
A beautiful tee shot into the fourth from Xander and he knocks in for his second birdie of the day. He moves to five under par.
Hovland misses birdie chance
Hovland -8 (2), Patrick Cantlay -6 (2)
Hovland hits a superb fairway metal into the second green but the damp greens mean it doesn’t release down to the hole. From long range, he fails to get down in two and that is a real missed opportunity. Cantlay, though, makes no mistake and he immediately bounces back to six under.
Koepka down the middle on two
Koepka -11 (1), Jon Rahm -9 (1)
You have to feel that these two will be eyeing up a birdie at the minimum on this par-five the way it’s playing today. Koepka smokes his drive way down the fairway but Rahm’s floats out to the right - in a similar manner to his drive on the first - and his ball ends up among the patrons.
Henley into solo fourth
Matsuyama -5 (2), Henley -6 (2)
We’re seeing all kinds of delightful displays of short-game prowess on this second hole and it continues with this pair. Henley uses the contours beautifully to set up his birdie while Matsuyama executes a delicate up and down from the front bunker to make his birdie.
Henley into fourth on his own while Hideki gets back the shot he dropped at the first.
Birdie for Morikawa
Morikawa -5 (2), Bennett (a) -4 (2)
Bennett misses his opportunity for a birdie four at the par-five second but Morikawa makes no mistake despite being in the greenside bunker after his second. He moves into a tie for fourth at five under par.
Good par save by Rahm
Koepka -11 (1), Jon Rahm -9 (1)
Off the tee, it looked like Koepka would be the one fighting to save par. Instead, it is Rahm with 10 feet left after his chip...but he makes no mistake. He needed that.
Koepka nurses his putt across the green expertly and knocks in for his par. One down, 17 to go...
Tremendous recovery from Koepka
Koepka -11, Jon Rahm -9
Koepka was so far right that he ended up on the ninth fairway but it’s a fantastic shot back over the trees and he catches a piece of the left side of the green. Still some work to be done to get down in two from there.
Rahm’s second leaks out to the right and he’ll have to get up and down from just off the green.
Hovland saves par on the first
Hovland -8 (1), Patrick Cantlay -5 (1)
Well played, Viktor. He could easily have dropped one there but it’s a super par save from 12 feet to stay at eight under. The same can’t be said of Cantlay who lets his effort dribble past the left edge. Not the start he would have been looking for.
Cam Young into fifth
Young -5 (5)
A fast start for the American who follows up his birdies on one and two with another at five after a pin-point iron into the green. Is he too far back?
Strap in folks...
Koepka -11, Jon Rahm -9
Here we go. Koepka and Rahm are on the tee and this Masters final round is underway. But, wow that’s way left from Brooks off the tee. A nasty double cross from the American and he’ll be in a similar spot to where Hovland hit his second just moments ago.
Rahm senses the opportunity and flies his straight down the middle of the fairway.
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