Philip Pedano IV – Contributing writer

pcp5117@psu.edu

The Masters tournament is unlike any tradition in the world of sports. 

The Masters golf tournament is one of the four majors included in professional golf. The winner of the Masters collects about $3.24 million with the purse total being $18 million. The tournament started with action on April 6 and concluded on April 9. The first two days of the tournament included a full field with 88 players which gets cut down to about half the field and ties for the last two days.  

The Masters included the best golfers in the world and make for great entertainment all week long. No matter how big or small of a golf fan you are, you will be tuning in to watch the tournament. Golfers like Tiger Woods, Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, etc. The Augusta National golf course is one of the most sacred golf courses in the world. The hype going into Masters Week is unlike any other golf tournament. 

The tournament leaders after round one included Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, and Victor Hovland all shooting a 65 and sitting at 7 under par. Cameron Young and Jayson Day were sitting at 5 under par, two shots back. Heading into round two, Augusta, Georgia was expecting some bad weather in the late afternoon. The play had to be called due to incoming lighting and thunderstorms. The players had to come back Saturday morning to finish the second round at 8 AM. The second round concluded Saturday around 11:30. The third round then started immediately after. The leader heading into round three was again Brooks Keopka sitting alone at 12 under par. While Jon Rahm was chasing him just 3 strokes back at 9 under par. The surprising story was Amateur Sam Bennett sitting at 8 under par. 

The final group of round three started at 1:06 PM and play got suspended at 3:15 PM due to inclement weather once again. This meant Sunday was going to be a long day with about 27 holes still left to play and Brooks Koepka had all the momentum going his way. The morning part of Sunday and finishing the third round was steady for both Rahm and Koepka. Koepka was still leading and in control heading into the final round on Sunday afternoon. 

The final round started in Rahm’s way with Koepka hitting his first tee shot left into the baring trees. Rahm then took control and never looked back. As others were chasing him including Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth, Phil Mickelson, and still Koepka, Rahm was in full control. No one could end up catching Rahm as he claimed the green jacket with a 12 under-par score and four stroke victory over the field. Rahm who deservingly won this tournament has been dominating the PGA Tour all year long along with Scottie Scheffler. Rahm got the best of Scheffler this week and in the biggest tournament of the season so far. Rahm becomes the 2023 Masters champion and just the sixth Spaniard to claim the Masters green jacket. The PGA tour’s next major event will be the PGA Championship on May 18-21 held in Rochester, New York at Oak Hill Country Club.