Jokes about LIV golfers and their inability to keep pace in 72-hole competition would be appropriate had Phil Mickelson not emerged as such a threat to Jon Rahm.
As Brooks Koepka collapsed in Rahm’s shadow, his fellow LIV rebel Mickelson rolled back the years. But Rahm would not be denied. It felt like Spanish stars aligning as he sampled victory on what would have been the 66th birthday of Seve Ballesteros. Rahm’s second major title comes 40 years after Ballesteros collected Green Jacket number two.
It seemed extraordinary to recall Rahm’s Masters opened with a four-putt, double-bogey six. By close of play he had raced to 12 under par. Victory was by four shots. Olé, olé, olé.
Koepka is the alpha male whose game turned stale. A final round of 75 belied his confidence. From early in proceedings Koepka wilted to a level that visibly inspired Rahm. A tie for second with Mickelson will provide scant consolation.
Mickelson’s final round of 65 suggests tales of his golfing demise have been hugely exaggerated. His previously sparkling reputation has undoubtedly been dulled by various LIV matters. Still, his majors record had also been pretty dismal from the point of sensational victory at the 2021 US PGA Championship until now. There may be further life in the 52-year-old “Lefty” yet. As if to prove Georgia golf crowds care little about dalliances with Saudi Arabians bearing dollars, Mickelson was roared from hole to hole over his closing stretch.
“This doesn’t feel like a fluke,” said Mickelson, the spring in his step fully restored. “Hopefully it’s a stepping stone. I know I’ve been playing really well. I’ve been shooting low scores back home. I’ve been playing consistently well. When I’ve been competing, I have not been staying present. I haven’t been letting it happen, kind of forcing it.”
Koepka led by two at the start of a delayed round four. As he delivered confident pars in the first three holes, his tendency to feature in 54 hole competition – the LIV staple – appeared irrelevant. Yet Rahm had halved his partner’s advantage with a birdie at the 3rd and would tie Koepka after the latter sloppily found a bunker from the 4th tee. When Koepka sailed his iron shot over the 6th green and could not rescue par, the unflappable Rahm edged one ahead.
Rahm reached 11 under with a birdie at the 8th. Koepka sat at minus nine after a dropped shot a hole later. By now, and with Mickelson in the clubhouse, Rahm just had to stay upright. He comfortably made a par at the 11th. The 12th, which has ripped apart Masters dreams, provided no drama. Koepka dropped another stroke there, leaving him three adrift. The Floridian bounced back with a fine birdie, converted from 14ft, at the par-five 13th. Rahm was unmoved; he also made a four, from a third of that distance.
Rahm’s approach shot to the 14th, from the right rough, was his shot of the day. It rolled deliciously to within 5ft of the cup. Koepka three-putted for a five as Rahm trickled in his birdie three. Rahm was four clear of Mickelson and five in front of Koepka with four to play. He had no need to take on the teasing 15th in two.
Koepka’s muted celebration for a birdie at the 16th told a story. Rahm had three shots to play with by the 17th tee. He eased home, even with a wayward drive at the 18th hole.
For a spell Jordan Spieth looked like the man most likely to challenge Rahm. Having started his fourth round at minus one, the 2015 champion collected five shots by the 15th tee.
Two more birdies followed but Spieth tugged his tee shot left at the last when trying to hit a low fade. From there, behind a tree to be specific, he could make no better than a bogey five. Spieth correctly focused on damage done in earlier rounds; a 70 and a 76 were bookended by a 69 and a 66.
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“When you’re that far back, you have to have everything go right,” Spieth said. “It was close but I should have done a lot better in those first three rounds. I made a tremendous amount of mental mistakes. To be this close now, it’s nice, but it also almost frustrates me more. I made some mistakes I don’t normally make out here and it was more decision errors than anything else. I played way too much golf coming into this. I came in mentally fatigued and you overwork this week every year.” Patrick Reed and Russel Henley tied on seven under with Spieth.
Scottie Scheffler’s defence ended with a 70 and a four-under-par aggregate for a share of 10th. Matt Fitzpatrick, with a welcome return to form after injury, was among those to match Scheffler’s score.
The next publication of golf’s world rankings will confirm Rahm has been restored as world No 1. This, and a cheque for $3.24m, feel like minor details. At 28, the man from Barrika is a multiple major champion. The Ballesteros tally of five should be firmly in his sights.
