The Spaniard has two career majors, one of them in the Masters
Woods and Cantlay Are Back in the Clubhouse after an Unexpected Day of Golf at the 87th edition of the Open Masters
Play had begun an hour earlier to allow several golfers to finish their second rounds after inclement weather had similarly suspended Friday’s action, where blustering winds saw three tall pine trees fall near spectators. No one was injured according to tournament organizers.
Woods had a rocky afternoon after narrowly securing his passage to the third round. The worst score of the day was his nine-over par after seven holes.
While a sea of umbrellas covered the golf course, four-time major winnerpka was one of just 11 golfers to shoot under par as cold, wet and windy conditions kept many players out of the running.
Those behind had gathered enough energy to make matters worse for LIV Golf star. Though Mickelson and Spieth ultimately left their charges too late to snatch victory, Koepka’s slide jumped Mickelson – already back in the clubhouse – up into solo second.
With 12 holes remaining for the lead group, it looks set to be a grueling day of Sunday action if The Masters is to avoid just the sixth Monday finish in the major’s history.
Matt Fitzpatrick, Patrick Cantlay, and the other winners of the day are all back in the club house. As scores tumbled around them, the duo shot a round-best three-under par to move into the quartet tied for fourth, world No. 4 Cantlay making it through 13 holes while reigning US Open champion Fitzpatrick managed 11.
After two days of miserable weather had seen multiple suspensions of play at the 87th edition of the historic major, it was fitting that blue skies and sunshine set the backdrop for the crowning of Rahm, whose victory sees him leapfrog reigning Masters champion Scottie Scheffler as world No. 1.
The two shot lead taken into the final round by Koepka was short-lived, as he slid to a three-over 75 finish. The American had held at least a share of the lead from the end of the first round and was hoping to win his first green jacket and fifth career major.
Ballesteros, José María Olazábal, and Sergio Garcia were the only three of Rahm’s compatriots to have donned the green jacket previously, and Olazábal was one of the first to embrace the tearful new champion at the 18th green.
I know he was pulling for me to do it on his birthday, but it was incredibly meaningful to get it done on the 40th anniversary of his win.
Mickelson rolled back the years with a final round-best 65 to become the oldest golfer ever to finish inside the top-five at the major. A three-time green jacket winner, the 52 year old was happy as he made his rounds at Augusta with eight golf balls.
It marks the lowest round ever posted by a player aged 50 or above, coming a day after Fred Couples became the oldest player to ever make the cut at the major.
Jordan Spieth shot nine birdies in a blistering closing 66 to finish on seven-under. The 2015 champion finished level with Russell Henley and Patrick Reed, who made it three LIV Golf players inside the top four.
A defense of the title looked unlikely from the moment Scheffler endured a frustrating second round 75, the American finishing eight shots adrift of Rahm, tied for 10th.
Sam Bennett, Jordan Koepka, and Jonkman, three months after his victory at the Open Masters, Augusta, winning by a single-shot final shot
Leading amateur Sam Bennett won hearts and plaudits after a superb week at Augusta. The 23-year-old Texan – who has a tattoo of his late father’s final piece of advice inscribed on his wrist – shot 76 to finish tied for 16th on his Masters debut.
After two days of miserable conditions and stop-start action, clear blue skies finally broke above Augusta National on Sunday, prompting the green light for the race to escape a first Monday finish at the major since 1983.
A battle to beat the clock had already ensued Saturday after bad weather Friday – featuring winds strong enough to fell three large pine trees – had suspended play overnight and left several players needing to finish their second rounds.
That group included Rahm, who cut Koepka’s lead to two before the duo paired with Bennett to trudge through six holes of a rain-soaked third round Saturday. By the time the horn sounded to suspend play, Koepka’s four stroke cushion had been restored – the American weathering the storm expertly while his Spanish rival lost ground with back-to-back bogeys.
Sunday’s bright weather brought a more familiar feel to the picturesque terrain of Augusta National, but there was no familiar sight of Tiger Woods’ classic Sunday red. Despite visibly struggling with movement throughout the weekend, the 15-time major champion had battled to a record-equaling 23rd cut, only to announce his withdrawal due to injury hours before play resumed on Sunday.
Having admitted to being in “constant” pain after his opening round, pictures of the 47-year-old – rooted to the bottom of the leaderboard – hobbling towards his golf bag during his final holes of the weekend will only intensify questions of whether the five-time Masters champion will ever play the major again.
Koepka’s opening drive found the fairway: the ninth fairway. Yet the American recovered superbly from his wild opening hook, planting his follow-up onto the green before saving par.
It was fitting that a frustrated Koepka finally converted his first score of the day at the 13th after 22 holes without one while Jonkman did the same moments later.
What had looked set to be an enthralling two-horse race had turned into a canter. Up ahead the Americans were running out of time to challenge, and a pair of pars at the 16th and 15th only cut the gap to three.
Carrying a four shot lead into the final hole, there was a momentary scare for Rahm – perhaps his first genuine fright of the day – as his tee drive went sailing towards the trees.
It made for scenes reminiscent of a year ago, when runaway leader Scheffler made a wobbly finish, four-putting to close. There was the same outcome again, as Rahm hit a ball but it bounced back onto the fairway.
