There are no names on the table, but Jon Rahm admits that his recent million-dollar signing for the Saudi League, after having renounced that competition and having remained faithful to the American circuit, has generated tensions and some moments of tension with PGA Tour players . “I knew it was going to happen, I expected it,” says the Basque after the fourth day of the Augusta Masters, where he gave up the green jacket after a final result of +9, the worst of his career in this field. “In some cases I did expect it. And after others I thought they were going to be drier and they gave me a hug. I knew what was going to happen, it remains to be seen who… My friends are still my friends and those who are not, well, you already know. And whoever changes their opinion about me…”, completes Rahm.
The Spaniard assures that none of this has distracted him in the game, although his golf has been far from what made him champion. As a symbol, hole 2. In three of the four rounds (except Saturday) he landed in the bunker on the right with the tee shot of this par five of 585 yards (535 meters), the longest on the course, which has premiered tee. And in none of the four laps did he manage to make even one impact at a stop in which he presents the best statistics of his career in the tournament (a cumulative of -20). The sequence this course reflects this spring’s discomfort with the course: par, par, par and bogey with a painful trip. It is the first time since Rahm competed at Augusta, in 2017, that he has not lost a single shot on this hole all week.
The step back stopped a hopeful start with birdie in search of climbing positions in the standings. The Basque stepped on the accelerator again with another birdie On the 3rd, a short par four in which he showed off those magical hands to take a ball located downhill in a bunker and land it near the flag. And in number 7 another genius is invented. After visiting the trees on the right, he takes a hit to get back to the fairway and then… boom! Bingo from 73 meters. Finally, arms raised, a smile and a high five with his caddy, Adam. But it is a mirage. Bogey on 8 after a bad start, double on 10 after not reaching the green until the fourth shot and bogey in 11 when linking another putt failed mid-distance. In the 14th minute he misses again on the right putt for birdYoe, and he also doesn’t get any juice out of the par fives on 13 and 15. His ball drowns in the lake on 16, from where it emerges with two more bricks.
In the clubhouse he delivers a final card of +4 on the day for a total of +9 in the tournament. It is his largest result since he debuted in the tournament in 2017 (the edition that Sergio García won). He then debuted as the rookie who learns to know the secrets of the Masters with +3, and until now he had only worsened that record in 2022, with +4, the course that crowned Scheffler and one before his victory. It is also the first time that he has not managed to get below the par of the field in any of the four rounds: 73, 76, 72 and 76 strokes.
Rahm will return to the competition in two weeks at the sixth stop of the Saudi League, from April 26 to 28 in Adelaide. He also has eight other LIV tournaments ahead of him, including the event in Valderrama from July 12 to 14, the three major events remaining in the season (PGA, US Open and British Open) and the Paris Games.
Great Olazabal
Olazabal, meanwhile, resurfaces with the field’s par, 72, on Sunday for +9, like Rahm. And on the second shot of the 5th hole he jerked and his match partner, the Colombian Camilo Villegas, gave him an anti-inflammatory. “When I had to do a swing aggressive, I couldn’t move. I have done what I could, I have defended myself well. Until that moment he was delighted, playing solid. The only thing that worries me is that it won’t get any worse,” Olazabal analyzed.
A great week despite everything for the double champion of the green jacket, who at 58 years old, the oldest among those who made the cut, will now return home and intends to resume, if his body allows it, the senior circuit. “If I bring out the golf in me, I can still win,” he says.
Augusta Masters classification.
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