Jon Rahm reflected on the achievements of his hero Seve Ballesteros after winning the Masters on Sunday by four strokes with a score of 12 under.
Rahm posted rounds of 65, 69, and 73 before closing with another three-under 69, pulling well clear of Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson in a tie for second at eight under.
It is the 20th professional win of Rahm's career at just 28 years old, and his sixth victory since October after two wins on the European circuit and three on the PGA Tour.
The result comes nearly 40 years to the day since Ballesteros' second win at Augusta National Golf Club back in 1983, and during his interview in the Butler Cabin, Rahm spoke about the impact the Spanish legend had on his life.
"The history of the game is a big part of why I play, and one of the reasons I play… with Seve being [another reason]," he said.
"If it wasn't for that Ryder Cup in 1997 – me and my dad talk about it all the time – we don't know where I would be, or as a family where we would be.
"So for me to get it done on the 40th anniversary of [Ballesteros'] win, on his birthday, on Easter Sunday, it's incredibly meaningful. And to finish it off the way I did – an unusual par, a 'Seve' par – in a non-purposeful way it was a testament to him, and I know he was pulling for me today."
When asked about the moment he felt the tournament was his to lose, he said he could feel the footsteps of the chasing pack at the turn.
"I thought eight was a key birdie, but I didn't expect that bogey on nine, that was a couple of good swings… but I had to get through 'Amen Corner' even par, that's what I was looking at," he said.
"Obviously Phil [Mickelson] and Jordan [Spieth] were making birdies and finishing strong, and they were finishing their round as I was finishing 10, so making sure I didn't put myself in a difficult spot on 10, 11, 12 was the key.
"Then on 13 with that right-to-left wind was when I could turn a little bit and get on the attack, and that's what I did. It was not really one moment, but if I had to pick one I would say hitting that draw perfectly on 13 was the start of it."
During his official presentation, Rahm included a funny story looking back at his wonky start to the tournament, having become the first to ever win the Masters after double-bogeying their first hole.
He spoke about how he received a text from Arizona Cardinals tight end Zach Ertz saying the first green is "looking like a walk in the park – 10 minutes before I four-putted it to start the tournament".
"Thank you, Zach," he said. "Don't ever do that again please."
The win means Rahm has reclaimed the world number one ranking yet again as he, Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy take turns sitting atop the pile.
Scottie Scheffler out to win at Hilton Head after clinching second Masters title
Scottie Scheffler insists he will not be taking things easy in the RBC Heritage in the wake of his second Masters title in three years.
Scheffler justified his billing as pre-tournament favourite with a four-shot victory at Augusta National on Sunday, after which he made a brief trip home to Dallas before heading to Hilton Head.
It was the world number one’s third victory in his last four starts and increased his lead over Rory McIlroy at the top of the rankings to more than six points, but the 27-year-old has no intention of just making up the numbers this week.
“I won the tournament last week and now we’re here and it’s Wednesday and we’re all even par again,” Scheffler told a pre-tournament press conference.
“It seems like to me in my head that everything starts over each week, so it doesn’t matter what I’m ranked going into the week. It only really matters kind of where you sit at the end of the week.
“So going into this week it’ll be a bit more challenging than it was last week just because I think playing in contention at majors and especially winning takes a lot out of you.
“There’s a lot of stuff that goes on after the Masters on Sunday and you get home very late and emotionally I think I’m a bit drained.
“But we’re starting at even par, so I’m going to go home this afternoon and get as much rest and recovery as possible and show up tomorrow ready to play.
“I was on a radio show earlier today and Colt [Knost] asked me if I thought about withdrawing and I said, no, I committed to this tournament and I’m not showing up here just to walk around and play a little golf.
“I left my pregnant wife at home to come here and play in a golf tournament. I am here to play and hopefully play well. I’m not here just for fun.”
Scheffler stressed how keen he was to get home to his wife Meredith during his post-victory media duties, so much so that a picture of him wearing the green jacket at a bar in Dallas on Sunday evening warranted an explanation.
“I don’t know if I’d actually been to that place before,” Scheffler said.
“There was another tavern around the corner that I’d been to a few times and it’s a nice place but shockingly it wasn’t open Sunday at 1:30 in the morning. This place was open.
“On the plane ride home I was with my manager Blake and my coach Randy and then I had four of my good buddies with me, and I don’t remember who suggested it but it seemed like a good idea.
“When Meredith picked us up at the airport it still seemed like a good idea and Meredith was down so we went for probably 20 minutes and went home.
“Took a few photos, had a drink and then went home and went to bed.”
Nelly Korda looking to add major to winning streak at Chevron Championship
World number one Nelly Korda insists she is taking nothing for granted as she bids to secure a remarkable fifth straight win and second major title in the Chevron Championship.
Korda took a seven-week break after winning her first title of the year, the LPGA Drive On Championship, in January, and returned to win three events in the space of three weeks, including beating Ireland’s Leona Maguire in the final of the T-Mobile Match Play.
The 25-year-old is the first woman to win on four consecutive starts since Lorena Ochoa in 2008 and is also the first to enter a major on such a streak since Annika Sorenstam.
View this post on InstagramSorenstam’s run came between the end of the 2004 season and the start of 2005 and the Swedish star went on to win the Kraft Nabisco by eight shots.“In 2021 I went on a run, and then in 2022 and 2023 golf really humbled me,” admitted Korda, who won four times in 2021, including her sole major title to date in the Women’s PGA Championship.
“There are ups and downs. Every athlete goes through the rollercoaster, and that is what makes the sport so great. You mature and grow so much and learn more about yourself.
“You never take these weeks for granted. You always try to appreciate and become very grateful for them.
“It makes just all the hard work so worth it. But I think I’ve learned so much about myself even through the losses.”
Korda has had one week since her last victory to recharge the batteries ahead of the first women’s major of the season at Carlton Woods in Texas, where she finished a shot outside the play-off won by Lilia Vu last year.
“Last week I was so tired,” Korda added. “I don’t think I’ve ever been that tired. I would wake up and I was ready to go back to bed but I couldn’t. It’s almost to the point where you just can’t sleep, you’re just overly tired.
“I made sure to prioritise any rest. My parents are on top of me to not overdo it.
“I always want to practice more, do more to be better. So made sure to prioritize my rest and making sure to go to sleep early and sleeping a lot, too. That’s the number one thing for recovery. Overall this week I feel really good.”
Korda and Vu have been drawn together for the first two rounds alongside Australia’s Minjee Lee, while English amateur Lottie Woad, winner of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur earlier this month, is in a group with Madelene Sagstrom and Gabriela Ruffels.
Rory McIlroy dismisses report that he was on the verge of shock move to LIV Golf
Rory McIlroy has dismissed a report that he was on the verge of a shock move to LIV Golf.
London financial paper City AM reported at the weekend that McIlroy, who has been among the staunchest critics of the Saudi-funded breakaway, could be about to jump ship in a deal worth USD850million (£680million).
McIlroy’s manager Sean O’Flaherty told the Irish Independent the report was “fake news” and the world number two was asked about the claim ahead of this week’s RBC Heritage.
“I honestly don’t know how these things get started,” McIlroy said in an interview with Golf Channel which he subsequently posted on his official account on X, formerly Twitter.
“I’ve never been offered a number from LIV and I’ve never contemplated going to LIV.
“I think I’ve made it clear over the past two years that I don’t think it’s something for me.
“Doesn’t mean that I judge people that went and played over there, I think one of the things that I’ve realised over the past two years is people can make their own decisions for whatever they think is best for themselves and who are we to judge them for that?
“But personally for me my future is here on the PGA Tour and it’s never been any different.”
Asked if he knew where the rumour had originated, McIlroy said: “No, no idea.
“Jeez, I think over the last two years there’s been so many rumours of guys… and I think the one thing I’ve realised as well is guys need to keep an open mind and I’m sure there’s been players who are still playing on the PGA Tour that have talked to the guys from LIV and had offers and whatever.
“But I have no idea. It’s never even been a conversation for us and it’s one of those things.
“It’s unfortunate we have to deal with it and this is the state that our game’s in but I’m obviously here today, playing this PGA Tour event and I will play the PGA Tour for the rest of my career.”
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