Jon Rahm races to victory at The Masters as Brooks Koepka collapses on the last lap

Jon Rahm earned his first Masters victory on Sunday with a tie-break final round in Augusta, becoming the first player since 1952 to win the tournament on a double bogey on the first hole.

The Spaniard, who plays on the birthday of the late Seve Ballesteros, got off to the worst possible start on Thursday, but ended the weekend with the green jacket on his shoulders and took on Brooks Koepka as the PGA Tour secured a symbolic victory over LIV. golf rivals.

Heavy rain and stormy weather interrupted play on Saturday afternoon and ended the third round on Sunday morning; Koepka started the day with a two-stroke lead and, despite an overshoot, finished with a narrow lead that was still intact.

Rahm too had passed one on his third lap to stay within striking distance of second, while a superb performance from Viktor Hovland put him in contention, hitting five consecutive birdies and leaving three behind on his way to the final. round.

After a short break, Koepka got his first real chance to extend his lead on the second hole, but missed his birdie putt on the third hole before missing a big chance. Rahm had a longer putt on the same hole, but sank his effort to take first blood and get close to his American rival in one shot.

A bogey followed on the next hole for Koepka, who now consolidated the lead as seven players were now within five strokes of the top two and felt an opportunity for a late challenge.

Just as Hovland looked poised to strike, a double bogey in sixth dashed his hopes and gave the leaders some breathing room. Two bad tee shots on the same hole left Rahm and Koepka struggling to make par, but the 28-year-old Spaniard managed to take the lead for the first time.

Still, it didn’t really feel like a two-horse race, with seven players now all on six. Defending champion Scottie Scheffler came up short in the chasing pack by screwing four of his first 11 holes – only to play a double bogey – while Sahith Theegala channeled Tiger Woods on the 16th hole in 2005 as he moved to six.

Remarkably, Jordan Spieth was in a serious fight for 18th bogey even through the first 50 holes and dropped to fourth, but Phil Mickelson made no such mistakes and rolled back the years to take the clubhouse lead at eight -under to take heed. . Birdies in a truly brilliant final round.

“This is just as much fun as playing golf. Play the last round of the Masters like me and then finish with some birdies,” Mickelson told Sky Sports afterwards.

“It was a lot of fun, so regardless of the result, this was a really fun day for me. I am thankful that we [the LIV Golf players] Make sure you are here and play and participate and be a part of this great championship. And then it was very special to play like I did today.”

In turn, Rahm and Koepka finished ninth as the Spaniard’s lead narrowed to just two strokes from Mickelson, although he still seemed to have his game under control as Koepka was a bit ragged.

They both screwed up on the 13th hole and Rahm now had a three shot lead with only five holes left. Koepka’s brief recovery – or rather, respite – didn’t last long as he bogeyed on the next hole as another birdie to Rahm saw him extend the lead to four shots in what felt like the defining moment of the day.

Rahm continued to play with unnerving ease as the finish came into view despite a strange final in which he was forced to play a provisional tee on the 18th after a somewhat tense first try that landed so close to a rebound that the officials initially thought would be when the ball was lost.

Still, he kept his composure, and after holding back his emotions throughout the round, Rahm let out a whoop of joy as he pocketed his par putt on the 18th.

He is the fourth Spaniard to win the Masters after Ballesteros, Jose Maria Olazabal and Sergio Garcia, while it is his second major after winning the US Open two years ago. And all this after four putts from the first hole of the tournament.