2023 Masters: Jon Rahm wins first green jacket

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Jon Rahm earned his first green jacket on Sunday, overcoming third-round leader Brooks Koepka to win the 87th Masters Tournament by four shots during a long day at Augusta National Golf Club.

>> Read more trending news

Rahm, 28, of Spain, earned his second major and his fourth victory of the season, adding the Masters to his 2021 U.S. Open victory at Torrey Pines. He opened up a five-shot lead on Koepka, who faltered on the back nine after entering the final round leading by two shots.

Rahm had to hit a provisional shot on the final hole after sending his tee shot into the woods, but still won the tournament with a par at No. 18, finishing with a final-round 3-under-par 69 for a 276 total.

“I wasn’t sure how I was going to react until the third shot at No. 18,” Rahm said.

Koepka, 32, at 8-under-par 75, finished tied for second with three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson at 280. Mickelson, 52, finished at 6-under-par 65 on the final day to become the oldest runner-up in tournament history.

“I kind of played average,” Koepka said after the final round. “And I didn’t get any good breaks.”

At one point during Sunday’s rounds, Koepka went 22 holes without a birdie, ESPN reported.

Sam Bennett shot a final-round 74 to win low amateur honors at 286.

Rahm joins Seve Ballesteros (1980, 1983), Jose Maria Olazabal (1994, 1999) and Sergio Garcia (2017) as players from Spain who have won the Masters. Rahm won the Masters on what would have been Ballesteros’ 66th birthday, and 40 years after his hero’s second Masters title.

“History is a big part about why I play, and Seve is a part of it,” Rahm said.

Olazabal, wearing his green jacket, was there to greet Rahm when he walked off the 18th green, ESPN reported.

Jordan Spieth shot a final-round 66 to finish at 7 under and tie for fourth place with Russell Henley, who shot 70; and Patrick Reed, who shot 68.

Rahm escaped danger at the 14th hole after hitting his tee shot into the rough. He sent his second shot onto the green and curled in a short, testy birdie putt while Koepka bogeyed the hole.

It was a strong finish for Rahm, who opened Thursday’s first round with a four-putt double-bogey at No. 1, according to USA Today.

It got much better after that. Rahm ended that first round at 65 despite the shaky start, shot 69 in the second round and had a 73 in the rain-delayed third round.

The third round resumed at 8:30 a.m. EDT on Sunday. Play was suspended Saturday afternoon due to heavy rainfall, The Augusta Chronicle reported.

The final round began at 12:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, with players paired off and teeing from the first and 10th holes, according to the newspaper. Koepka entered Sunday as the leader at 13-under-par through six holes in the third round, while Rahm was second at 9 under.

During the final round, Rahm was able to distance himself from Koepka, who had a birdie at No. 13 but had bogeys at Nos. 12 and 14.

At No. 14, Rahm reached the green in two despite hitting his tee shot into the rough, then curled in a birdie to go 12 under. Koepka’s bogey at the 14th dropped him five shots back in a tie for third place. Koepka managed to slice a shot off Rahm’s lead with a birdie at the 15th and a long birdie putt at No. 16 to remain in contention.

At 17, Rham opened a four-shot lead with a par while Koepka bogeyed the hole.

Koepka, a member of the LIV tour that has been competing with the PGA Tour for players, won four majors between 2017 and 2019, according to Golf Monthly. He won the U.S. Open in 2017 and 2018, and the PGA Championship in 2018 and 2019.

Mickelson said he had “so much fun” during Sunday’s round.

“I feel like I’ve been hitting these type of quality shots, but I have not been staying focused and present for the upcoming shot, and I make a lot of mistakes,” Mickelson told reporters. “Kind of like you saw on Thursday, and that cost me a bunch of strokes.

ExpandAutoplay

Image 1 of 19

2023 Masters: The final round of the 87th Masters was played on Sunday at Augusta National Golf Club. (Andrew Redington/Getty Images)