Jon Rahm wins the Augusta Masters and returns to no. 1. Who is the Basque Tiger Woods – Corriere.it

Jon Rahm he returned to the number one in world golf after his triumph in Augsburg Masters
, Georgia. For the 28-year-old Basque it is the consecration again phenomenon of the sporta kind of «Tiger Woods of the Twenties» given that the early retirement of the 47-year-old from California due to physical problems really has the flavor of a relay race. The final lap was exciting with «Rahmbo» who recovered two shots ahead of the American Brooks Koepka, after having already nibbled away two in the third lap. The hookup took place on hole 4, the overtaking on the 6th and from there it was a crescendo up to the final four length lead (69 strokes against 75 in the final round).

The defectors of the Arab Super League on the podium

The Masters is one of the four Grand Slam tournaments in which all the best in the world can still be faced, including the 18 defectors of the Arab Super League (Liv) who did well by bringing 52-year-old Phil Mickelson (the oldest to score second place in Augusta) on the podium as well as Koepka himself .

Rahm thus pockets the three million and 700 thousand dollars prize and hits his 11th PGA title and second Grand Slam trophy after the US Open in 2021. To make this success even more emblematic, the 28-year-old from Barrika won his first green jacket on the birthday of a Spanish golf legend who is also his idol: on April 9 Severiano Ballesteros would have turned 66 if a tumor hadn’t killed him in 2011.

Rahm number 1

«Rahmbo» was moved several times: «We all dream of such things as players, and let’s try to imagine what it would be like… I never thought I would cry for victory in a tournament and instead I came very close to that 18th hole , for what it means for me and for Spanish golf». Before him, three other Spaniards had imposed themselves on the National Club green: Ballesteros himself (the second and last time just 40 years ago), José Maria Olazabal and most recently Sergio Garcia, in 2017. And the omen of victory was even in number assigned to his caddy, 49, precisely the date of April 9 read in the American style.

By now the Basque is permanently ai leaders in world golf and this year he fought for first place with Scottie Scheffler (the defending champion from Augusta who finished tenth) and with Rory McIlroydeleted after two days.

Rahm, how much does he earn

Rahm had started 2023 very strong by winning three tournaments in America between January and February, before being held back by an injury. His annual earnings have already reached $45 million in awards alone and even before Augusta it was calculated that in practice he receives 7,000 dollars for each shot fired. In July 2020, aged 25 years, eight months and nine days, Rahm had become the youngest European to become world number one. Tiger Woods remains unapproachable and became Number One at 21 years and six monthsyet just the Californian champion now «Rahmbo» could become the heir, albeit with due distance from a monster winner of 39 Pga Tour events, including eight majors.

«He is a spectacular golfer», praised the American Max Homa, defeated on the last hole in the Genesis Invitational tournament in Los Angeles, «aside Tiger is the most solid player I’ve ever seen. I’ve known him since high school and he’s been like that ever since, number one among amateurs, number one among professionals».

Rahm, as captain of Team Europe, will be among the protagonists of the Ryder Cup in Rome (from 29 September to 1 October 2023 on the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club course in Guidonia Montecelio) and his rivals Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler will be his partner in the European team and a formidable opponent for the world crown respectively.