Jon Rahm triumphs on behalf of Seva

Jon Rahm’s performance in the fourth round of the Masters, en route to the title, had only one anecdotal blemish, in the form of a bogey on hole 9. As he walked off the course, someone spontaneously started shouting the name of the legendary Seva Ballesteros to cheer him on The murmur grew , was sung by the ever-increasing number of spectators on the stage where, with two victories (1980 and 1983), he broke down a wall for the whole of European golf. Someone then rounded off the challenge to the 28-year-old Spanish hopeful with a shout: “Do it for Seve.” His inspiration, the memory of his talent and his claw, followed him for the rest of the tour, as he already admitted with a green jacket on his shoulders. “I listened to it later during the last nine holes (…). This win is for Sev. He was up there helping.” Moments earlier, after teeing off on the 18th hole as champion, Rahm, a twenty-something who reveres the tradition and legacy of those who paved the way for him, had merged into an emotional embrace with Chemo Olazábal, another the Spanish champion in Augusta (1994 and 1999). “He told me that it was the first of many others. If the conversation had lasted longer, we both would have cried at the end,” admitted the new winner. And he once again thanked the third Spaniard who won Augusta before him. “It was amazing to see Sergio García win here, and it really made me believe that there is something special for the Spaniards here. That it is our destiny to play well here. It is my honor”.

After play was delayed Saturday by a storm, Rahm opened four shots behind Brooks Koepka on Sunday with 12 holes to go in the third round; He started his fourth round just two over, and ended up celebrating the title by four over Koepka himself and Phil Mickelson. A significant return, with the inspiration of his elders: «There must be something here for having a Spanish passport; there is something on the field that is transmitted to all of us”.

Rahm joins his Masters at the 2021 US Open, a combination achieved by only two players outside the United States, South Africa’s Gary Player and Argentina’s Ángel Cabrera. But no European until today. So the development of the Spanish phenomenon in recent years, who is once again number one in the world, raises the expectations of how far he can go. The medium-term challenge would be to reach Seve’s five major studies. But the first to warn against any comparison with the myth is Rahm himself: “I am very far from achieving everything he has achieved.”

Although his winning nature, despite constant questions from the press, prevents him from rejecting his next goal, completing four Grand Slam titles, missing the PGA Championship and the British Open. “Yes, it’s something that’s on my mind,” he admits, but then he asks for prudence, not wanting to run more than he should. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. It would be amazing. There are few people who managed to achieve this (…). But it’s a long way to go,” he explained, before recalling that some of the greatest players in history, like Phil Mickelson and Arnold Palmer, were missing one of the four trophies in their display cases. In fact, they’ve only come full circle, in the current version the big four five more players, Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, along with Bobby Jones in his old format (US Open, British Open, US Amateurs and British Amateurs) Bigger words on the horizon for Jon Rahm. In the name of Seva Ballesteros.

You should not trust the memory of the mythical Wimbledon final between Nadal and Federer

Rahm not only devours golf books and videos, but other sports as well. He also read Rafa, my story (indications), John Carlin’s approach to the character of Nadal. The Spanish golfer revealed that the serious grimace, far from any overconfidence, he faced all week at Augusta, and especially the last hole on Sunday, was due to the lessons of the 22 Grand Slam winner.

In the book, he admits that at one point in the fourth set of the legendary 2008 Wimbledon final against Roger Federer, which is considered the best match of all time, he thought he was the winner ahead of time, and he almost paid for it by losing. “She blamed herself for letting her mind get ahead of her. Remembering that, I didn’t let that happen to me today [por el domingo] at any time. It wasn’t until I hit the third shot on 18, caught the green and left a one-foot putt for par that I thought victory was in my hands. I imagined myself a champion there, not before. “I never thought I would cry winning the tournament, but I was very close to doing it on the 18th hole,” admitted the new Augusta Masters champion.