Jon Rahm became Masters champion for the first time on Sunday as the Spaniard became the first European to win the competition and don the famous Augusta green jacket in six years.
He emerged victorious in his battle with Brooks Koepka who went into the final round with a two-shot lead to overtake the American in front of a USA-cheering home crowd and spoil the party.
The duo were almost inseparable for the entire tournament and on Sunday it was all eyes on who would buckle first as the end of the washed out third round got underway in the morning.
Koepka led the LIV-inspired charge for a green jacket and started where he left off as he and Rahm battled for the lead, both dropped shots at times but when one made a mistake the other then closely followed.
Rahm made a mess of an eagle chance on the 15th that ended with a par, while Koepka was forced into taking a drop on the same whole.
Jon Rahm celebrated a four-shot victory at the Masters after putting to secure win at the 18th
Rahm turned around a shocking first hole on Day 1 to win the 2023 Masters by some distance
Neither of them appeared to be capable of landing a serious blow on the other and the third round leaderboard finished as it started, with Koepka two shots in front and Rahm tasked with chasing his American counterpart down in the final session.
Meanwhile, day one leader Viktor Hovland bounced back to put himself in the frame as he went through five consecutive birdies on the back nine. He dropped off in the afternoon but it was a stellar showing from the Norwegian.
And so the real final day of the Masters got underway, a two-horse race to the finish line, Koepka v Rahm, America v Europe, LIV v PGA, just don’t mention that to Sergio Garcia after his outburst.
Untouchable for large parts of the morning on Sunday, Koepka quickly crumbled as the masses of patrons followed the duo on a championship deciding walk round Augusta.
The 32-year-old didn’t make a birdie until the 13th hole, prior to that he dropped four bogeys that were eventually made five across the front and back nine.
A collapse that nobody saw coming, especially not Phil Mickelson who for the final few holes sat on the leaderboard as Rahm’s closest challenger after recording a sensational round of 65. The lowest score in any Masters round by a player 50 or over.
2015 Masters winner Jordan Spieth was one-under-par after 54 holes of golf. He finished his final round with a half-shout of being in a position to pounce should the leaders drop off, a round that saw Spieth take nine birdies placed him on -7.
But really Sunday was a procession of crowning a new champion and Rahm after taking the lead for the first time on the sixth hole never looked back.
Brooks Koepka congratulated Rahm afterwards, with the American sealing joint second on -8
Prior to starting his final round, Rahm foreshadowed the words of the legendary fellow Spaniard Seve Ballesteros on what would have been his 66th birthday and 40th anniversary of his second Masters victory.
Rahm told Sky Sports: ‘I’d like to think that he’s up there watching and pulling for me, and if there’s anybody that has enough charisma to have any influence from up above it’d be someone like him.
Perhaps he had a point because Rahm was a man on a mission who wouldn’t let anything stop him in his quest for a first green jacket and chance to become world number one again.
It wasn’t a flashy round, it was a matter of consistency for Rahm who remained focus as those around him flapped. Koepka’s collapse could have pulled his playing partner down with him. It didn’t.
Rahm remained focus as he split pars with the occasional birdie and only cut a nervous figure once on the 9th as he made bogey. He recovered to keep his cool and on the 13th made his move.
Phil Mickelson’s final round of 65 is the lowest round in Masters history by a player over 50
As he matched Koepka’s birdie putt, the American chaser deflated, he had left it too late in the final round and Rahm whether he admits it or not knew as he walked to the 14th tee that the green jacket was his bar a monumental collapse.
He hit his tee shot into the rough and underneath the shadow of a tree, a position that could derail a weaker mind’s title credentials, but for Rahm everything appeared easy.
He chipped to within three foot of the pin from that position and rolled in an easy birdie. Koepka was done, Rahm was ready to begin his march to the final few fairways where a green jacket was waiting for him at the 18th.
Rahm’s approach to the final putt was met with cheers around the course, as he stepped up to make history – on Seve’s 66th birthday. The Spaniard would have been proud of his compatriot, as he wrapped up his -12 scorecard.
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