Jon Rahm Wins Masters After Marathon Finish

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Jon Rahm kept hearing how he was destined to win this Masters because so many Spanish stars were aligned in his favor.

This year was the 40-year anniversary of the second Masters title Ballesteros won. If that wasn't enough, caddie Adam Hayes was assigned white coveralls with No. 49 -- April 9.

"I was told a lot of things about why this could be the year," Rahm said, looking smart as ever in his new green jacket. "And I just didn't want to buy into it too much."

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His golf was far more valuable than any historical coincidence. Rahm turned the longest day into his sweetest victory Sunday.

The 30-hole marathon finish started with him trailing by 4 and ended with a walk up to the 18th green that nearly reduced him to tears, and gave him another major that affirmed him as No. 1 in the world.

He closed with a 3-under 69 to pull away from mistake-prone Brooks Koepka. He won by four shots over Koepka and 52-year-old Phil Mickelson, who matched the low score of the tournament with a 65 and became the oldest runner-up in Masters history.

The leaderboard was littered with major champions and a tinge of Saudi-funded LIV Golf. Mickelson and Koepka both are part of the rival circuit. Former Masters champion Patrick Reed, another player who defected to LIV, closed with a 68 and tied for fourth with Jordan Spieth (66) and Russell Henley.

Tiger Woods wasn't around for the finish. He withdrew Sunday morning before the third round resumed, saying he aggravated a previous plantar fasciitis injury in his right foot.