The Albany Gazette - Seve still inspires as Rahm chases second Masters title

In 2023, Rahm became the fourth Spaniard to win the Masters, after Ballesteros in 1980 and '83, Jose Maria Olazabal in 1994 and '99, and Sergio Garcia in 2017.

"I think it all started with Seve," Rahm said Tuesday as he prepared for a practice round ahead of Thursday's start to the 89th edition of the Masters.

"I think he set that essence, and it can't be a coincidence that the last two Spanish players to win it both won it on what would have been Seve's birthday.

"There's definitely something here going on with him and with all of us, and I think it's something we can all feel."

Rahm will be hoping some of that Seve spirit can help him get off to a solid start in the first major championship of 2025, after a disappointing showing in last year's majors amid his move to the Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit in December of 2023.

Rahm finished tied for 45th in his Masters defense last year. He missed the cut at the PGA Championship and withdrew from the US Open with a foot injury before finishing with a share of seventh at the Open Championship.

"Not my favorite major season last year, that's true," Rahm said. "Didn't play great here, didn't play great at the PGA, and wasn't even able to tee it up at the US Open.

"I was very happy to finish up there at The Open on a very challenging week. At least set the tone hopefully for this year, and feel like I'm playing much better golf coming into this week."

Rahm won the individual championship in his debut LIV Golf season -- bagging the $18 million bonus prize.

- Full Spanish four-ball -

He has yet to win in 2025, but started the year with a runner-up finish in Riyadh and has since added four more top-10 finishes and says he's "feeling really, really good about this year in general."

Rahm was heading out on Tuesday afternoon for a practice round alongside Olazabal, Garcia and Spanish amateur Jose Luis "Josele" Ballester -- who is making his Masters debut after following his 2023 European Amateur championship victory with a win in the US Amateur last year.

"Full Spanish four-ball with Ollie, Sergio, Josele," Rahm said. "Quite special to be able to share the stage with two past champions, with Ollie, which I spent basically two and a half hours asking Ollie to tell us stories because he has a story for every tree that has been on property and shots that he's seen and things like that -- same with Sergio."

While Ballester is getting his first taste of Augusta National, another Spaniard has actually joined the ranks of Spanish champions at the fabled Georgia club this year as Carla Bernat Escuder won the Augusta National Women's Amateur last week.

"Spanish players being known for being rather creative with good short games, I think that's usually a recipe that works really well at Augusta National," Rahm said. "There's no surprise that there's now five champions here."

(T.Brown--TAG)