Spain’s Jon Rahm won a first Masters, thwarting American Brooks Koepka – saying the win was for the late golf great Seve Ballesteros.
“This one is for Seve. I knew he would be up there helping and help he did,” said Rahm.
Rahm, 28, carded a three-under 69 to finish on 12 under and win by four shots as Koepka, who led by two going into the final round, signed for a 75.
Koepka ended joint second with veteran Phil Mickelson, who shot a seven-under 65 to finish eight under.
Former champions Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed were a shot further back.
Defending champion Scottie Scheffler finished in a group on four under, along with England’s US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick, who was the highest finisher from Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
After sinking his final putt, Rahm, 28, shook his clenched fists while looking up to the sky.
His family, wife Kelley, along with two sons Kepa and Eneko, joined him on the 18th green before he was congratulated further by friends and family.
Those included compatriot Jose Maria Olazabal, another two-time Masters champion and one of Rahm’s mentors.
Rahm’s brilliance, and a poor final round from Koepka, eyeing a fifth major title, ended with him being thwarted by the Spaniard.
Rahm bagged a record $3.24m pay day for winning the first major of the year.
Koepka said: “Kind of ho-hum. I didn’t play that great. I hit some good shots and just ended up in some terrible spots. Then at the end trying to make birdies when he’s ahead – it’s tough.
“Second is not very fun so that’s motivation in itself.”
Legend Severiano Ballesteros Sota, who died on 7 May 2011, aged 54, was a World No. 1 and one of the sport’s leading figures from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s.
A member of a gifted golfing family, he won 90 international tournaments in his career, including five major championships between 1979 and 1988.
Seve won The Open Championship three times and the Masters Tournament twice. He gained attention in the golfing world in 1976, when at the age of 19, he finished second at The Open.
Seve played a leading role in the re-emergence of European golf, helping the European Ryder Cup team to five wins both as a player and captain.
“I know Seve was pulling for me and it was a great Sunday,” said fellow Spaniard Rahm.
