AUGUSTA (AFP) – Jon Rahm was nearly in tears after winning an emotional triumph at the Masters on Sunday, what would have been the 66th birthday of his idol Seve Ballesteros.
Rahm overcame a four-stroke deficit at the start of a marathon 40-hole final day at Augusta National to defeat Americans Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson by four shots for his second major title, a victory that returns him to world number one.
“This one was for Seve,” Rahm said. “He was up there helping, and help he did.”
The 28-year-old Spaniard said he felt bolstered by the spirit of the late Ballesteros, who won his second Masters title 40 years ago.
“For me to get it done on the 40th anniversary of his win, his birthday, on Sunday, it’s incredibly meaningful,” Rahm said.
Rahm achieved what he called a “true honour” in becoming the fourth Spaniard to grab the green jacket after Sergio Garcia, Jose Maria Olazabal and Ballesteros, who died of brain cancer in 2011 at age 54.
“Rest in peace Seve,” Rahm said to close his victory ceremony.
Rahm won the green jacket and took a record top prize of USD3.24 million from a record USD18 million purse.
Olazabal greeted Rahm with an emotional embrace just off the 18th green moments after the triumph was complete.
“He said he hopes it’s the first of many more,” Rahm said. “We both mentioned something about Seve, and if he had given us 10 more seconds, I think we would have both ended up crying.”
