By DOUG FERGUSON (AP Golf Writer)
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Jon Rahm is a Masters champion, and he can say he noticed this coming primarily based on the message in a fortune cookie from a Chinese quick meals chain almost 10 years in the past.
Rahm was beginning his sophomore yr at Arizona State when he cracked open the fortune: “Your talents will be recognized and suitably rewarded.” He took to Twitter to share the message together with his coach, Tim Mickelson, and wrote, “I am gonna win the masters!”
If solely it have been that easy, and nothing about this Masters was till the 28-year-old Spaniard lofted a wedge over the bunker to three toes for a remaining par that gave him a four-shot victory over Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson, the older brother of his school coach.
From the time he started his second spherical on Friday, Rahm by no means had the lead till Koepka started to lose his swing and his placing contact. It took Rahm 42 holes earlier than he received his identify in entrance once more, after which he seized management with extra miscues from Koepka and the brawler mentality to do no matter is required to win the combat.
It’s been that means so long as Rahm has been taking part in, and everybody knew it.
Phil Mickelson predicted greatness earlier than Rahm turned professional in 2016, and stated he felt Rahm was among the many prime 10 gamers on the planet earlier than the Spanish star had ever gained his first event. Bill Haas misplaced to Rahm within the semifinals of Match Play in 2017 and stated later, “He’s hungry. He wants more. You can just see it in him. He’s got that thing about him that’s going to make him a big-time winner out here.”
Rahm went again to No. 1 on the planet together with his Masters victory — including to his U.S. Open title he gained at Torrey Pines two years in the past — although even with seven wins worldwide within the final yr, it stays a detailed race with Scottie Scheffler.
What will get a lot consideration with Rahm is everybody may see this coming, with or and not using a fortune cookie. Koepka gained his first PGA Tour title on the Phoenix Open in 2015, the yr Rahm tied for fifth whereas in his junior yr in school.
It took him 4 begins on the PGA Tour to safe his card. He has gained yearly since his first full yr as a professional, and now has 20 wins world wide.
Not to be ignored is a communications diploma from Arizona State that he earned in 4 years after arriving on campus with out with the ability to converse English.
“We put in a lot of effort to try to beat the best guys in the world. So maybe that level of intensity and that determination is what you see and that’s why I’m characterized as a fighter,” Rahm stated. “I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I didn’t try my hardest on every shot. So maybe that’s where that comes from.”
Rahm was as entertaining on the inexperienced jacket presentation as he was on the golf course, mixing in a single enjoyable story about how this Masters began for him.
He has change into mates with Arizona Cardinals tight finish Zach Ertz, and Rahm was in a cart from the observe vary to the placing inexperienced forward of the primary spherical when he noticed that Ertz had despatched him a textual content.
“I’m going to paraphrase. It said, ‘That first green is looking like a walk in the park’ — 10 minutes before I four-putted to to start the tournament,” Rahm stated. “So, ‘Thank you, Zach. Don’t ever do that again.’”
It wasn’t simply the four-putt double bogey from 40 toes (Sam Snead in 1952 is the one different participant to begin with a double bogey and win the Masters).
Rahm opened with a 65 to tie Koepka, besides the Spaniard performed within the morning. When he returned to Augusta National on Friday afternoon, storms have been on the best way. The temperature dropped, ultimately to the mid-40s. It was raining. The wind made it really feel extra depressing. The circumstances have been so deplorable that Rahm, who hit 8-iron to a again pin on Thursday, couldn’t attain the inexperienced with a 4-iron.
It was simply as dangerous for the six holes he performed with Koepka on Saturday, and it was nonetheless frigid after they resumed the third spherical on Sunday morning. Rahm stored it shut. That combat was as a lot part of successful as his 3-under 69 on Sunday.
So the place somebody urged that he might need been on the dangerous aspect of the draw, Rahm smiled as he leaned towards the microphone and stated, “Did you say I was perhaps on the bad side of the draw? PERHAPS?’”
He overcame all the pieces thrown at him Sunday — the deficit that grew to as many as 4 photographs on the 30-hole marathon end, the mistaken aspect of the climate, even all of the Spanish coincidences talked about to him — and simply battled. He brawled. That’s his type, and whereas not all the time inventive that’s why he’s change into such a prolific winner.
He was shocked when somebody identified he was the primary European to win the Masters and the U.S. Open. And he was requested concerning the profession Grand Slam.
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” he stated.
He is just midway there, now needing a PGA Championship and a British Open. But he’s ok that it’s not preposterous, with or and not using a fortune cookie.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com”