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:
Tough break for Koepka
Koepka -7 (12), Rahm -10 (12)
Koepka bombs his drive down the middle - a sight we haven’t seen in a while - but he’s in trouble after his second. It carries the water but the ball comes to rest near the bunker and Brooks will probably have to place his feet inside the bunker as he chips down the slope.
Rahm follows up and also goes for the par five in two. He carries the water and also the green and his ball comes to a rest in the valley in front of the bunker.
Hovland birdies 13
Hovland -6 (13), Cantlay -5 (13)
Hovland has had a disappointing day to this point but he’s able to make a birdie four at the par-five 13th. He moves back to six under par while Cantlay remains at five under.
Young bogeys the last
Young -6 (68)
Cam Young’s second shot gets him into trouble on the last and he is unable to get up and down to save his par. He probably needed a birdie there to be in with any shout but it’s another impressive showing for the young American at this tournament - he sits in a tie for sixth as thing stands.
Mickelson speaks to Sky Sports
On his round of 65 today: “This been a really fun day for me. I'm grateful that we get to be here and play compete and be a part of the great championship. And then, to play, like I did today was extra special.
“I do want to shoot low scores and continue. I’m playing at a high level, and I have a unique opportunity given that I'm physically not having any issues and I’m able to play compete and swing the club the way I want to.
“I had a great offseason - three, four months off to really get ready for this upcoming season and take advantage of this unique opportunity that I have and to try to do some special things in the game.”
On being back at Augutsa: “We're all really appreciative to be a part of this and I think that It's great for the championship to have all the best players in the world here, playing and competing. It's fun for me as a past champion to be able to be part of this and continue to be a part of this great championship.”
Koepka drops another shot with bogey at 12
Koepka -7 (12), Rahm -10 (12)
Rahm goes first off the tee at 12 and fires right into the heart of the green - no risks taken there. It’s a great lag putt and he’ll be more than happy to walk off with a par.
Koepka’s iron goes just over the back and he gets his chip horribly wrong. He’s still off the green putting for par and he flies it past the hole. Work now to limit the damage to just a bogey...but he makes it. A bogey four and Koepka drops back to seven under.
Rahm now leads Mickelson by two - now that’s a sentence I didn’t think I would write a few hours ago.
Couple of pars on 11
Koepka -8 (11), Rahm -10 (11)
Back to 11 with our leaders who both find the tricky 11th green in regulation. Rahm up first and that is a great putt from range that threatens to go in but just runs out of speed at the end. A tidy par for the Spaniard.
Brooks lines up his birdie effort but it drifts to the left - not his finest effort and that will be a par.
On to the par-three 12th they go...
Another birdie for Young
Young -7 (17)
He’s missed out on the par-five 15th but he makes no mistake on the 17th with a cracking putt for birdie. He now joins the group at seven under par.
Reed sneaking into fourth
Reed -7 (13)
With the chaos from Mickelson and Spieth’s finish subsiding, a few others are now making moves. One of them is 2018 champion Patrick Reed who sinks a long-range effort on the par-three 12 before following it up on 13 with another birdie.
He’s now up to a tie for fourth.
Huge par save for Koepka
Koepka -8 (10), Rahm -10 (10)
Koepka elects for the driving iron off the tee but it goes right and into the pine straw. He hacks out but finds himself above the bunker on the right-hand side. However, it’s a great up and down - finished off with a nine feet putt - to save par.
A more regulation par for Rahm who finds the green in regulation and two-putts from range for his four.
Record-breaking round by Mickelson
Spieth -7 (66), Mickelson -8 (65)
What on earth have we just witnessed from Phil - simply jaw-dropping stuff. He looked devoid of confidence heading into the week but he’s just rattled off five birdies in his last seven holes to close out a round of 65 and move up into a tie for second!
That ties his lowest-ever Masters round and is the lowest round in Masters history by a player age 50 or older - nobody saw that coming today.
Spieth gets in trouble off the tee and misses a long putt for par. A bogey drops him to seven under but still a hugely impressive finish from him as well.
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