Jon Rahm is the Masters champion and back at No 1 in the world. His victory on Sunday was down to an extraordinary all-round game that sees excellence in almost every department, even if he is not the standout player in any one area.
His brilliance is very much rooted in the sum of its parts.
The upshot has been a phenomenal career since the Spaniard, who was born with a clubbed foot, turned professional in 2016.
He was world No 1 as an amateur and is now a two-time major champion with some barely believable statistics, finishing in the top 10 in more than half of his worldwide starts as a pro (85 of 157) with more wins (20) than missed cuts (14).
Here we look at the make-up of the 28-year-old’s stunning game.
Jon Rahm celebrates his first Masters triumph with wife Kelly at Augusta on Sunday
Rahm, here holding his son Kepa at Augusta, has an extraordinary all-round game
Swing and style 9/10
Rahm does not have the aesthetics of a Rory McIlroy swing or the technical perfection of Adam Scott.
In fact, his swing is among the most idiosyncratic on tour, characterised by the shortness of his takeaway and a distinctive bowed left wrist at the top. Nevertheless, it has been proven to be one of the most repeatable in golf and the fact he has never tried a rebuild speaks volumes.
Best in class: Rory McIlroy
Mentality 9/10
It takes something special to chase down a leader like Brooks Koepka and more so to pull away.
Golf is brutal on the mind but Rahm has rarely seemed vulnerable when the stakes are high and his final-round 69 at Augusta showed as much once more.
Recovering from a four-putt double bogey at the first hole of the tournament required great character and likewise getting through Amen Corner without dropping a shot on Sunday. His discipline might be mistaken for lack of adventure but it is an asset during clutch moments.
Best in class: Tiger Woods
Driver 9/10
This is the greatest technical strength of Rahm’s game. He has ranked sixth this season on the PGA Tour for distance at an average of 314 yards, 12 yards behind McIlroy, and ranks 116th for accuracy at 57 per cent, albeit without the same vulnerability to a big miss as, say, Jordan Spieth.
The stat that combines the two, ‘total driving’, sees Rahm 15th, with McIlroy down in 70th, although it can be misleading in an era where length makes the difference so long as the outcome is not too wild.
For accuracy it is notable that Rahm missed only eight fairways all week at Augusta.
Best in class: Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy is the best in the world with a driver but failed to make the cut at Augusta
Approach play and ball striking 9/10
This is a huge factor in who wins at the Masters and Rahm nailed it. Such was the quality of his ball striking he was top four in the field for driving accuracy and greens in regulation — he hit 72 per cent of greens in regulation.
The last two Masters winners to rank so highly in both categories were Jack Nicklaus in 1986 and Ben Crenshaw in 1995.
Best in class: Scottie Scheffler
Putting and around the green 8/10
Typically this has not been Rahm’s strength. Last season he ranked 139th in scrambling, 180th in sand saves and 143rd in strokes gained around the green.
In 2023, he has dramatically improved to be top 20 in scrambling and around the green and top 50 for sand saves. He does not have Seve Ballesteros’s finesse and style, but he has become dangerously efficient.
Putting was also once a challenge — he has hovered around 40th in the total putting stats for the past two seasons. He ranked 18th at Augusta, no doubt held back by that opening four-putt.
Best in class: Cameron Smith
The Spaniard (above) became the first European to win the Masters in six years
Limitations
One of Rahm’s limitations has also been his strength. He disclosed a couple of years ago that he was born with a clubbed right foot, which in turn has conditioned that shorter, more consistent swing.
His description is fascinating: ‘My foot (at birth) was 90 degrees turned inside and basically upside down. When I was born, they pretty much broke every bone in the ankle and I was casted within 20 minutes of being born from the knee down.
‘Every week I had to go back to hospital to get recasted. So from the knee down, my leg didn’t grow at the same rate and I have very limited ankle mobility in my right leg.
‘It’s a centimetre and a half shorter, as well. I don’t take a full swing because my right ankle doesn’t have the mobility or stability to take it.’