The Masters 2023 LIVE: Leaderboard and reaction as Jon Rahm wins first green jacket

Rahm outduelled Brooks Koepka and honoured the late Seve Ballesteros to triumph in style at Augusta

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Jon Rahm produced a nerveless Sunday performance to claim his first Masters green jacket in dominant but emotional style at Augusta National, in the perfect tribute to the late Seve Ballesteros.

Forty years after golfing icon Ballesteros claimed his second green jacket, and on what would have been his 66th birthday, Rahm became the fourth Spanish winner after Ballesteros, Jose Maria Olazabal and Sergio Garcia.

“This one is for Seve,” Rahm said after winning his second major crown. “I knew he would be up there helping and help he did.”

The fourth and final round of a wild week at Augusta looked set to be a shootout between Rahm and four-time major winner Brooks Koepka.

But as the American faded in the fourth round, his Spanish foe relentlessly marched on, adding to his 2021 US Open crown by carding a 69 to end on 12-under. Rahm secured a four-shot triumph over Koepka and a rejuvenated Phil Mickelson, who shot a magical Sunday 65 at the age of 52 to end in a tie for second at eight-under.

Follow the reaction to the final round below:

The Masters 2023

• Jon Rahm wins the 2023 Masters in style
• The Spaniard finishes the week on -12, four shots clear of Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson
• FINAL LEADERBOARD: -12: Rahm. -8: Koepka, Mickelson. -7: Reed, Spieth, Henley. -6: Young, Hovland.
• Tiger Woods withdraws from the 2023 Masters citing injury
• Mickelson shoots the lowest round in Masters history by a player age 50 or older with superb 65
• Amateur Sam Bennett closes with final-round 74, finishes on -2.

[9 April 2023 13:36 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Tiger Woods withdraws from the 2023 Masters

Tiger’s message on Twitter today:

[9 April 2023 13:20 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Jon Rahm not giving up hope of reigning at the end of a rain-affected Masters

Jon Rahm heads into the final day of the 87th Masters in confident mood, despite a sizeable deficit to leader Brooks Koepka at Augusta National.

Rahm trailed Koepka by two shots after completing his delayed second round on Saturday and found himself four adrift by the time play was suspended due to unrelenting rain with the final group on the seventh green.

However, Koepka would return to face a par putt from 12 feet while Rahm had a birdie attempt from slightly closer, meaning a two-shot swing was possible.

Rahm had no complaints about the timing of the suspension, which came after he had dropped shots on the fourth and fifth.

Full story:

[9 April 2023 13:07 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Tiger Woods withdraws from the 2023 Masters

Full story on Tiger Woods’ withdrawal after his struggles on Saturday:

[9 April 2023 12:49 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Brooks Koepka and Jon Rahm prepare to collide in final-day epic at the Masters

Ben Fleming previews what is sure to be a dramatic Sunday at the Masters:

Brooks Koepka is leading the Masters by four shots and is the favourite to win. No one can claim they saw this coming.

For a 32-year-old who already has four major championships to his name, that notion speaks volumes about the fall from sporting grace that Koepka has experienced since his dominant run two years prior.

It’s not that people didn’t want to see Brooks Koepka contend at the Augusta, it’s that few truly believed he could.

Injuries reduced him to two missed cuts and two 55th-placed finishes at the four majors last year. Fast forward another 12 months and he had largely been removed from golfing consciousness. Whisked off and recruited to LIV Golf for $100m, many thought that resembled an early withdrawal from golf’s true elite.

And yet, here we are. Knee injuries behind him and with public scorn over his move to LIV long since subsided, Koepka has reaffirmed his place amongst the game’s best. And his first three days at Augusta was Koepka at his very best – a technical and mechanical dismantling of the Augusta National course.

Full story:

[9 April 2023 12:34 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Tiger Woods withdraws from the 2023 Masters

The big news this morning:

Five-time winner Tiger Woods has withdrawn from the Masters ahead of the resumption of the third round on Sunday.

Woods made a record-equalling 23rd consecutive halfway cut at Augusta National on Saturday when the delayed second round was completed. However, the 47-year-old then covered the first seven holes of his third round in six over over par to drop to last place of the 54 players to qualify for the last 36 holes.

A brief statement from tournament officials on Sunday read: “Due to injury, Tiger Woods has officially withdrawn from the Masters after completing seven holes of his third round.”

Tiger Woods made the cut but struggled with injury in the third round (Getty Images)

[9 April 2023 12:28 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Masters leaderboard - third round

Here is how the top of the leaderboard is looking ahead of the resumption of play today:

-13 Koepka -9 Rahm -6 Bennett (a) -5 Fitzpatrick, Morikawa, Hovland, Cantlay -4 Henley, Young, Mickelson, Day, Niemann, Rose -3 Woodland, Fox, Scheffler

[9 April 2023 12:22 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Tiger Woods withdraws from the 2023 Masters

Woods toiled yesterday in poor weather conditions and was seen limping heavily around the course. He shot six over par through the first seven holes of his third round, having finished his second round earlier on Saturday to make the cut. That left him at +9 overnight and, facing a long Sunday with 30 holes still to play, he has taken the decision to pull out and protect his ailing body.

[9 April 2023 12:18 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Tiger Woods withdraws from the 2023 Masters

Breaking: Tiger Woods has withdrawn from the Masters. More to follow...

[9 April 2023 12:03 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Masters set to resume at 1.30pm BST

A statement from Augusta National Golf Club read after play was suspended on Saturday: “The third round will resume Sunday at 8:30am. CBS will air live coverage beginning at 8:30am through the conclusion of the final round. Ticket gates will open at 7:00am, as previously scheduled. The final round is expected to begin at 12:30pm off of No 1 and No 10 in pairings. The live broadcast will remain 2:00-7:00pm on CBS, as originally scheduled.”

So we can expect play to resume at 1:30pm BST. The fourth round will begin at 5:30pm BST, ending at approximately 11:30pm BST.

[9 April 2023 12:02 · Lawrence Ostlere]

The Masters 2023 - latest updates

There are a raft of chasers looking to capitalise on any mistakes from the leading duo which includes amateur Sam Bennett, the US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick, two-time major winner Collin Morikawa, Viktor Hovland and Patrick Cantlay. Justin Rose, Phil Mickelson, Jason Day and the world No 1 Scottie Scheffler are close behind, while Tiger Woods has slid down the leaderboard amid Saturday’s struggles.