Page 12 - Golf Champion Magazine - May 2023

[PGA TOUR]

ON BALLESTEROS' BIRTHDAY, RAHM BECOMES THE

FOURTH CHAMPION FROM SPAIN

바레스테레오스 생일에 존 람, 마스터스를 지배,

스페인 출신으로는 네 번째 그린 자켓의 주인공

hen Jon Rahm came through the 13th and 14th holes One strong arm in one silky sleeve of the Green Jacket.
Wearly Sunday evening at Augusta National, playing It was all formalized a short while later, a lengthy day
them superbly, the clock had just passed midnight in his featuring some twists ultimately concluding with an
Spanish hometown of Barrika, a village of 1,500 in Basque unsurprising ending: Rahm winning his first Masters in
country. That time zone reality was fitting, because Rahm his seventh attempt. A final-round 69 did the trick as Rahm
had just effectively put the 87th Masters Tournament to bed. became the fourth golfer from Spain to slip into a Green
On the newly lengthened par-5 13th, Rahm powered a draw Jacket, joining Seve Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal,
around the corner with his compact swing, a quick one- both two-time champions, and Sergio Garcia.
two of force, leaving him only 198 yards to the green. From
there he made a stress-free birdie to maintain a three-stroke The latest Spanish superstar finished at 12-under 276, four
lead. On No. 14, from 140 yards in the second cut right of the strokes ahead of Brooks Koepka, whom he dueled with for
fairway, Rahm’s 8-iron approach landed left of the flagstick the final 36 holes, and three-time champion Phil Mickelson,
but grabbed, the ball rolling just where he wanted it, as if he who soared up the leader board at age 52 with a closing 65,
were using a remote control. Cozy to the cup. his lowest final round in 30 Masters appearances.
Another birdie. A four-stroke lead with four holes to play. Rahm’s second major title came 40 years after Ballesteros

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