Jon Rahm bid for back-to-back Masters wins scuppered

Rahm, determined to maintain his competitive edge, remains focused on his bid to become just the fourth player in history to secure back-to-back Masters titles. His surprising move to LIV Golf, backed by Saudi Arabia, came after previously expressing loyalty to the PGA Tour and criticizing LIV’s 54-hole format, describing it as “not a golf tournament.”

Despite his struggles in LIV events, Rahm arrived at Augusta following a fourth-place finish in Miami and a team event victory at Doral. However, the Ryder Cup star failed to make an impact in the year’s first major, posting a third-round score of 72 to remain five over par after earlier rounds of 73 and 76.

His challenging round of 76 was compounded by harsh weather conditions on Friday, with winds gusting up to 40mph, prompting Rahm to question the decision to continue play. He remarked on the difficulty, particularly noting the prolonged six-hour rounds due to the need to maintain the greens between groups.

The successor to the Masters champion will now earn USD 3.6 million, an increase of USD 360,000 from the previous year, as tournament officials announced a rise in the overall prize fund to USD 20 million.

Rory McIlroy’s hopes of donning the coveted green jacket were dashed after failing to regain contention on Saturday, with a disappointing start that included a bogey on the first hole. Despite some efforts to recover, including a birdie on the par-five second, McIlroy’s inconsistency led to missed opportunities and a slide down the leaderboard.

Meanwhile, Tiger Woods, despite making a record 24th consecutive halfway cut, faced an uphill battle for a sixth Masters title. After a promising birdie on the fifth hole, Woods encountered difficulties, including a three-putt and a double bogey on the seventh, which hindered his progress.