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A16 sports
Tuesday 11 april 2023

Jon Rahm a Masters champion everyone saw coming

By DOUG FERGUSON race with Scottie Scheffler. at the green jacket presen-
AP Golf Writer What gets so much atten- tation as he was on the golf
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Jon tion with Rahm is every- course, mixing in one fun
Rahm is a Masters champi- one could see this coming, tale about how this Masters
on, and he can say he saw with or without a fortune started for him.
this coming based on the cookie. Koepka won his first He has become friends with
message in a fortune cook- PGA Tour title at the Phoe- Arizona Cardinals tight end
ie from a Chinese fast-food nix Open in 2015, the year Zach Ertz, and Rahm was
chain nearly 10 years ago. Rahm tied for fifth while in in a cart from the practice
Rahm was starting his his junior year in college. range to the putting green
sophomore year at Arizona It took him four starts on ahead of the first round
State when he cracked the PGA Tour to secure his when he saw that Ertz had
open the fortune that read: card. He has won every sent him a text.
“Your talents will be recog- year since his first full year “I’m going to paraphrase
nized and suitably reward- as a pro, and he now has here. It said, ‘That first green
ed.” He took to Twitter to Jon Rahm, of Spain, celebrates on the 18th green after winning 20 wins around the world. is looking like a walk in the
share the message with his the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on Not to be overlooked is a park’ or something like that
coach, Tim Mickelson, and Sunday, April 9, 2023, in Augusta, Ga. communications degree right now — 10 minutes be-
wrote, “I am gonna win the Associated Press from Arizona State that he fore I four-putted to start
masters!” 42 holes before he got his tournament. Bill Haas lost earned in four years after the tournament,” Rahm
If only it were that simple. name in front again, and to Rahm in the semifinals arriving on campus without said. “So, thank you, Zach.
Nothing about this Masters then he seized control with of Match Play in 2017 and being able to speak Eng- Don’t ever do that again,
was until the 28-year-old more miscues from Koepka said later: “He’s hungry. He lish. please.”
Spaniard lofted a wedge and the brawler mentality wants more. You can just “We put in a lot of effort to It wasn’t just the four-putt
over the bunker to 3 feet for to do whatever is needed see it in him. He’s got that try to beat the best guys in double bogey from 40 feet
a final par that gave him a to win the fight. thing about him that’s go- the world. So maybe that (Sam Snead in 1952 is the
four-shot victory over Brooks It’s been that way as long ing to make him a big-time level of intensity and that only other player to start
Koepka and Phil Mickelson, as Rahm has been playing, winner out here.” determination is what you with a double bogey and
the older brother of his col- and everyone knew it. Rahm went back to No. 1 see and that’s why I’m win the Masters).
lege coach. Phil Mickelson predicted in the world with his Mas- characterized as a fighter,” Rahm opened with a 65
From the time he began greatness before Rahm ters victory — adding to his Rahm said. “I wouldn’t be to tie Koepka, except the
his second round on Fri- turned pro in 2016 and said U.S. Open title he won at able to live with myself if I Spaniard played in the
day, Rahm never had the he felt Rahm was among Torrey Pines two years ago didn’t try my hardest on ev- morning. When he returned
lead until Koepka began to the top 10 players in the — though even with seven ery shot. So maybe that’s to Augusta National on Fri-
lose his swing and his put- world before the Span- wins worldwide in the last where that comes from.” day afternoon, storms were
ting touch. It took Rahm iard had ever won his first year, it remains a close Rahm was as entertaining on the way. q

Shields to fight Gabriels in Detroit at

Little Caesars Arena

punch to get back in the building will forever be im- ponent to knock Shields
fight game. bedded in the rich history down before losing to her
Claressa Shields will fight of Detroit like the Joe Louis in 2018 at the Masonic Tem-
Hanna Gabriels for the fist in downtown,” Shields’ ple in Detroit. Gabriels is 21-
women’s world middle- promoter, Dmitriy Salita, 2-1 as a professional.
weight championship on said Monday. Last October in London
June 3, bringing boxing to “This event will transcend at the sold-out 02 Arena,
Little Caesars Arena for the sports because of Claressa, Shields avenged her only
first time since it opened in what she represents and career defeat by beating
2017. accomplished as a young Savannah Marshall with
DAZN, which will carry the girl from one of the most an unanimous decision to
match live, made the an- challenged places in the become the undisputed
nouncement. USA, who believed in her- women’s world middle-
Shields, who hails from Flint, self and made a positive weight champion.
Claressa Shields, left, poses for promoter Dmitry Salita at the Michigan, headlines the choice every day of her life Shields, a two-time Olym-
Downtown Boxing Gym, July 27, 2022, in Detroit. card that will include up- when she was a kid to be a pic champion, is 13-0 as
Associated Press
and-coming fighters from champion.” a professional and lost to
By LARRY LAGE DETROIT (AP) — The Mo- Michigan. Gabriels, who is from Costa Marshall as an amateur in
AP Sports Writer tor City has landed a big “Claressa opening up the Rica, became the only op- 2012.q