Falling trees, limping forests and a strong Spaniard

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Tiger Woods also retired on Sunday morning. Previously, the superstar merely hobbled the hilly course, sparing his right leg. The leg he so badly injured in a car accident in February 2021. Woods gave up – but that was just one of the negative headlines that hit the 87th Masters in Augusta this weekend. The members of the very private private club in the US state of Georgia don’t like headlines anyway, but if they do, please only positive ones.

To the shock of the men in the green coats, three trees fell on Friday after the weather deteriorated dramatically. Thankfully no one was hurt off the 17th tee as the mature pines fell in slow motion. As a rule, only picturesque images are broadcast from Augusta, azaleas in full bloom, picturesque fairways in lush greenery, calmly flowing water and fully satisfied faces – all accompanied by the gentle chirping of birds.

Various interruptions due to wind and rain

This time the game had to be interrupted several times due to the weather, after the break on Friday the competition was stopped again on Saturday. Despite a sophisticated drainage system, the terrain on the site of a former tree nursery could no longer cope with the water masses after heavy continuous rainfall. To the chagrin of the Masters perfectionists, deep puddles formed on the fairways and greens.

LIV golfer Koepka only lasted three rounds

For the winner Jon Rahm (28) it doesn’t matter. The man from the Basque Country seems to be impregnated against everything that comes from outside, at least against the weather. For three rounds he tried to catch the leader, LIV golfer Brooks Koepka, who managed two clear rounds on Thursday and Friday before the weather turned. He got it on Sunday when the sun crept out from behind the clouds. On the LIV Tour (LIV stands for the Roman numeral 54), the competition tour of the PGA Tour, the tournaments are only played over three rounds instead of four (54 holes instead of 72) and with no cut.

Memoirs of Severiano Ballesteros (†)

Rahm won his second major tournament (after the US Open 2021) 40 years after the second Masters victory of his compatriot Severiano Ballesteros, who died of cancer in 2011, ‘Seve’ would have turned 66 on Sunday.

Since marrying American javelin thrower Haley Cahill and having sons Kepa (2021) and Eneko (2022), the Basque has managed to keep his temper in check more than at the beginning of his professional career, which was marked by outbursts of anger , tirades and flying golf clubs. Perhaps the experience of his mental coach Joseba del Carmen helped too: he used to defuse bombs.

Rahm’s trademarks are not only long and precise shots, but also a very concise swing: Rahm hits the ball. Rahm explains the very short and abrupt stroke movement with a disability that limited him as a child: He was born with a club foot.

Will there be “Chuleton” next year?

As tradition has it, Jon Rahm was donned in the green jacket by last year’s winner Scottie Scheffler on Sunday evening. On the Tuesday before the tournament, the Texan Scheffler was allowed to choose the menu for the Champions Dinner (all former winners are invited). The menu included: mini cheeseburgers, firecracker shrimp, tortilla soup, steak or fish, and a final bouquet of chocolate chip cookies.

Next year it’s Rahm’s turn to choose the menu, his favorite food: Chuléton, a huge charcoal-grilled rib-eye steak for two.

Source : Blick