US Masters 2023 in pictures: Jon Rahm's incredible prediction 10 years before triumph
Rahm's powers of manifestation
Jon Rahm is a Masters champion, and he can say he saw this coming based on the message in a fortune cookie from a Chinese fast food chain nearly 10 years ago.
Rahm was starting his sophomore year 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 with his coach, Tim Mickelson, and wrote, "I am gonna win the masters!"
If only it were that simple, and nothing about this Masters was until the 28-year-old Spaniard lofted a wedge over the bunker to three feet for a final par that gave him a four-shot victory over Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson, the older brother of his college coach.
Rahm rejoices after 18th hole
Jon Rahm celebrating on the 18th green after sinking the winning putt to win the 2023 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
A moment of disbelief
Rahm is the fourth Spaniard to win the Masters.
Nerves of steel
Jon Rahm acknowledges the crowd as he leaves the 13th hole in the final round of the Masters.
There was a six-stroke turnaround in the final round between Rahm and Brooks Koepka, who led for the first three rounds of the tournament.
Comiserations
Jon Rahm of Spain shakes hands with Brooks Koepka of the United States on the 18th green after he won the 2023 Masters Tournament.
Koepka led for the first three rounds before having a fourth round to forget as he was overtaken by the Spaniard.
Koepka's day to forget.
After leading for the majority of the tournament, Brooks Koepka crumbled in spectacular fashion on the final day.
Aussie Day in action
Jason Day of Australia looks over a putt on the seventh green during the final round of the 2023 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
After a strong start to the tournament on the opening day, the Aussie fell well short of his own expectations.
A Day to forget
Jason Day had a fourth round to forget at the US Masters tournament.
In the second round, Day was still a chance at securing Australia's second green jacket but had a horrible ending to the event, putting a ball into the water and taking three putts from three feet on another hole.
The 12th hole was arguably Day's worst, where he stood at the edge of the bunker, and watched his ball roll into the water after a heavy putt.
Phil continues road to redemption
Phil Mickelson will never receive the sort of adulation that once shadowed his every step.
Too many missteps along the way.
But give Lefty credit. He sure LIVened things up Sunday afternoon at the Masters.
Already the oldest major champion in golf history, the 52-year-old Mickelson made an impressive run at a fourth green jacket.
The fans were a bit timid in their response, even after he drained a 15-foot birdie putt at the final hole for a 7-under 65 — the best score anyone posted on a brisk Easter afternoon.
Yet there were definite signs of warming toward the guy who led golf into an ugly civil war.
Masters leader Koepka all smiles
Moving day at the Masters was mostly about everyone leaving overnight.
A cold, relentless rain was too much for Augusta National to handle, leading to one of the earliest finishes — just 15 minutes after CBS came on the air — and setting up a marathon finish for Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm and anyone able to catch them.
Koepka, who began the third round with a two-shot lead over Rahm, extended it to four shots when the Spaniard made consecutive bogeys. They made it to the seventh green, already filled with tiny pools of water, before play was suspended for the day.
Koepka was at 13-under par and faced a 10-foot par putt on the seventh green. Rahm was at 9 under and had about 8 feet for birdie. There was a long way to go.
"I'm not too concerned about playing 29 holes or however many holes we've got left," Koepka said. "It's part of the deal. I'm pretty sure I'll be up for it considering it is the Masters. So I don't think anybody should have a problem with that."
U.S. Amateur champion Sam Bennett, who at 8-under 136 had the lowest 36-hole score by an amateur since Ken Venturi in 1956, promptly bogeyed his opening two holes.
"It was brutal out there," Bennett said. "I think they honestly could have called it about 45 minutes earlier, but they tried their best."
