Sad end for Jon Rahm due to poor protection of his green jacket

The week of April 11-14, 2024 was not what I expected. Jon Rahm in a (poor) defense of his brilliant victory a year ago in Augusta Masters. Having played only 15 rounds in five 54-hole tournaments this year, the Basque took first place. Augusta National at least try to become the fourth player in history to win twice in a row.

But the harsh reality for him world #3, who hasn’t tasted victory in a year, yes yes, a year, which is soon told when in 2023 he did it four times in three months, it was the last card of 76 strokes for 297 in total, and a disappointing 46th place , representing his worst performance at the first Grand Slam tournament on the calendar. He tied for 27th in 2017, his debut year won by Sergio Garcia, and in 2022 (Scottie Scheffler), and has finished in the top 10 five times in the others.

For the fourth day in a row, Barrique failed to create that moment of inspiration/reaction that would have boosted his confidence level in the chain of recovering birdies. The Breakthroughs that propelled him into the top 10 are without a doubt the lesser evil. This Sunday the opposite happened: a birdie on the first hole, a dry hole on the 2nd with a bogey, a birdie on the 3rd and a great birdie on the 7th, hitting an approach shot right from the center of the fairway.

There it looked like Ram would take a step forward in the tournament, but in the 8th round he came back to reality with a bogey 6 (three putts). And the double major winner’s misfortunes weren’t over: a baffling double bogey 6 on the 10th, a bogey 6 on the 11th and a par on two second-round par 5s until the 14th hole, where he bogeyed last year in the lunge, he hit a great shot, just like in 2023, but this time he missed. It is very difficult. If it is always difficult to defend a title, then the title of “great” is even more so.

There is a telling fact that explains John’s poor performance at this Masters. And he turned par 5 into par!: all pars and bogeys on 2, all pars on 8 and 13, and three pars and a lone birdie on 15. So it’s difficult to give yourself a chance to be among the first. places in master’s programs. A lot of.

John’s bad luck peaked on the 16th hole, the final par 3. Rahm went to eat the flag and the ball ended up in the lake on the left. The third shot is on the green but wide of the hole and a double bogey 5 on the fringe. At this point, the Biscayan fell to +9 in total, tied with Txema Olazábal, against whom you will find yourself: this Sunday he signed a par 72, his best score of the week, and that in the last holes he hit the ball somewhat physically damaged due to a pinch in the back.

John finished his participation with pairs of 17 and 18 points. He will have time to analyze a performance that is far below his class and talent. And on top of that, he couldn’t sign the card, go to the mixed zone and go home, as he had to wait over two and a half hours for the leaders to finish and dress the new champion.