Augusta, 14 April 2023 – After four days of thrilling golf, Rolex Testimonee Jon Rahm produced a peerless performance to win the 87th Masters Tournament, the first men’s Major championship of 2023, and claim the coveted Green Jacket for the first time.

Steeped in history and tradition, the Masters is synonymous with prestige and stands out among the four men’s Majors as the only invitational event staged at the same venue every year. The revered Tournament is renowned for its pristine conditions, colourful, azalea-lined course and manicured greens, and timeless traditions.

This year’s edition, staged from 6–9 April, was again full of sporting drama. Rolex and golf share the same mutual appreciation for tradition and unfaltering precision. For almost 60 years, the bond between Rolex and golf has evolved and continues through the Swiss watchmakers’ pivotal partnerships, which have further cemented Rolex’s place at the heart of the game.

Making his seventh appearance at Augusta National Golf Club, Rahm showed remarkable focus and determination to rally from four strokes down on Sunday morning and become the fourth Spaniard to win this Major. The victory was particularly poignant, coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the late Seve Ballesteros’ second Masters win on what would have been his 66th birthday.

The Spaniard endured a marathon Masters Sunday, in which he played more than 30 holes across two rounds, starting at sunrise and finishing in the Georgia twilight, claiming victory with a 12-under par total of 276. Rahm overcame a two-shot deficit heading into the final round, carding a 69 that included a masterful birdie on the 14th hole, to claim a dominant four-stroke victory and prevail over a field comprising the world’s leading golfers.

TOP OF THE WORLD

With this victory, Rahm rises to World No. 1, replacing fellow Rolex Testimonee Scottie Scheffler, and becomes only the second Spanish player to win two different Major championships. He also becomes the first European to claim both the Masters and the U.S. Open, having won the latter in 2021. The 28-year-old is now halfway to completing the career Grand Slam, a feat he can achieve by winning both the PGA Championship and The Open during his career.

Following his winning putt, Rahm had an emotional embrace with his family, along with Rolex Testimonee, compatriot and two-time Masters champion José María Olazábal (1994, 1999). With more Green Jackets than any other nation after the USA, Spain has a special relationship with the Masters. By becoming the fourth Spaniard to triumph at Augusta National, Rahm has etched his name into its history books and reinforced his status as one of his nation’s finest golfers.

SYMBOL OF EXCELLENCE

Shortly after the celebrations on the 18th green, Rahm received from Scheffler the Green Jacket that he has so long yearned for, a ceremonial task and tradition conducted by the previous year’s Masters champion, and was also congratulated by Fred Ridley, Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament.

First introduced in 1937, the Green Jacket is one of golf’s most prized possessions and a symbol of excellence in the sport. Rahm will also receive a replica of the official Masters Trophy. Introduced in 1961, the Trophy, which depicts the Clubhouse and is engraved with the winners’ names, consists of more than 900 separate pieces of dazzling silver, weighs over 45 kilograms (100 pounds) and resides permanently at Augusta National.

Reflecting on the significance of his achievement, Jon Rahm said: “It’s hard to put it into words. We all dream of things like this as players and you try to visualize what it is going to be like and feel like. I still can’t believe I’m the first European to win the Masters and U.S. Open. If there’s anything better than accomplishing something like this, it’s making history. Out of all the accomplishments and the many great players that have come before me, to be the first to do something like that, it’s a very humbling feeling. I never thought I was going to cry after winning a golf tournament, but I got very close on the 18th hole and a lot of that is down to what it means to me and to Spanish golf.”

This year’s Masters Tournament began with the Honorary Starters ceremony, a tradition dating back to 1963, during which Rolex Testimonees Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson hit the first tee shots. It was a fitting way to start proceedings as 2023 also marked the 60th anniversary of Nicklaus’s first win at Augusta National.

By becoming the 2023 champion, Rahm adds his name to Rolex’s long list of Testimonees to have won the Masters, including The Big Three – Arnold Palmer, Nicklaus and Player – who claimed a combined 13 Masters titles between 1958 and 1986.

There were strong performances from other members of the Rolex family, including Phil Mickelson, who shot a career-best final-round of 65, which marked the lowest round in the Tournament’s history by a player over the age of 50; and Brooks Koepka who led the Tournament heading into the final round and showcased the form that has made him a four-time Major winner. Five-time Masters champion Tiger Woods made a record-equalling 23rd consecutive cut.

Rahm now has four victories this year, having previously triumphed at the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii, The American Express at La Quinta Country Club and the Genesis Invitational at the Riviera Country Club. With 2023 promising to be another thrilling year of golf, including three additional men’s Majors and the prospect of The Ryder Cup in Rome, Italy, on the horizon, Rahm has plenty of opportunities for further success.