He dressed in green in one of the most glorious settings in the history of golf and already has two ‘greats’ in his palmars, after the 2021 United States Open
four days ago Jon Rahm open his Augusta Masters with a double bogey on the first hole. It was the worst possible start, but the one from Barrika did not lose his calm at any time, not even during the stormy days that marked the tournament, and this Sunday he placed his name in the history of world golf by donning the iconic green jacket for the first time.
A native of Barrika, at his 28 years old Rahm became the fourth Spaniard capable of winning the Augusta Masters, after Seve Ballesteros, double champion (1980 and 1983), Jos Mara Olazbal (1994 and 1999) and Sergio Garcia (2017).
He dressed in green one of the most glorious settings in the history of golf and he already has two ‘big ones’ in his palmars, after the 2021 United States Open.
He increased his legacy by becoming the second Spanish golfer capable of winning two different ‘major’ titles, after Ballesteros (Masters and British Open) and he did so in one of the special for Spain, the birthday of Ballesteros.
“I don’t know where I would be without him. Winning the Masters on the 40th anniversary of his victory, on his birthday, on Easter Sunday, is incredibly important to me,” Rahm said at the Masters champion’s green jacket ceremony. “I know Ballesteros encouraged me. today,” he added.
Were four unforgettable days for Rahm, who started with a double ‘bogey’ on the first lap, without that affecting him in the slightest. His reaction was forceful and hysterical.
He finished the first day as colder with a seven under par, the best round in Masters history after starting with a double error.
Asked how he managed to stay calm, Rahm considered that sometimes starting badly “relaxes” you. “There are times that it does make you relax in quotes. You’ve already made a mistake and it relaxes you a bit. Now you have to go back and period. I’ve always considered that if you’re on the seven fairway and you’re around par, it’s a great start to a lap,” Rahm told a news conference.
“The first holes are not easy holes, you can make birdies but it is not guaranteed. After the birdies on two and three being par on seven I was perfectly happy, I would have signed it, you put me there and I’m fine “, he added.
It is a new example of the Rahm’s Mental Strength, who overcame a very difficult second and third round, marked by long interruptions due to rain and wind.
He had to finish the third round this Sunday and faced the fourth two strokes from Koepka. He played smart and solid golf to slowly climb back up to take command of the standings. He will not make mistakes again and they are crowned as the new champion.
The first thing he did after being crowned champion was hug his wife and their two children, Kepa (2021) and Eneko (2022).
In his triumph he was accompanied by his faithful caddie Adam Hayes, with whom he has been working since 2016 and with whom he shares an insatiable hunger to succeed. “The most important thing to understand with Adam is that he wants to win as much as I do and that is the beauty and importance of the team,” Rahm does not hesitate to assure.
“I didn’t want to believe it until it was fixed. I remember Rafa Nadal’s book, when he talks about the 2008 Wimbledon final with Federer, when he hits a big shot and for the first time allowed himself to think about victory. I think it was the fourth set and then they went to the fifth set. He explains that allowing himself to think about victory caused him to lose the set. That’s why you have to stick to what’s important at the moment,” he said.
And he acknowledged that he still finds it hard to believe in the consequences of his achievement, including having the right to play in Augusta for the rest of his life. “I haven’t processed it yet. The only thing I know is going to happen is that the chef José Andrés is going to make my menu every year.. The rest I still haven’t let thoughts go that far. I imagine that tomorrow I will be present, but at the moment it is almost like I don’t realize it. An honor to be able to come here for the rest of my life,” she assured.
Nadal: “Congratulations Master”
Shortly after the victory, congratulations poured in on social media. Rafa Nadal, passionate about golf, was one of the first to celebrate Jon Rahm’s triumph. “Congratulations champion, congratulations TEACHER! Once again you have shown how GREAT you are!!!!”, he wrote
Another of the legends of Spanish sports, Pau Gasol, encouraged him to continue making history.
Athletic Bilbao, of which he is a faithful follower, also celebrated Rahm’s victory.
“For Seve, for Olazbal, for Sergio García and for all Spanish golf!”, wrote the account of the Spanish Olympic Committee.
Juanma Moreno, president of Andaluca: “Gesta para el deporte espaol”
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