With the Masters, the first major of the 2021-22 golf season, just a matter of days away, fans of the sport will be rubbing their hands in anticipation — especially with a full allocation of spectators set to grace the iconic Augusta National’s hallowed turf for the first time since Tiger Woods stunningly won his fifth Green Jacket in April 2019.
Records have been sent tumbling in the time since, with Dustin Johnson setting a new record score (-20), while Hideki Matsuyama became the first Japanese player to win one of golf’s four major championships. That begs the question, what will be the headline from this year’s Masters?
Well, according to the US Masters 2022 odds, it is Jon Rahm who will be slipping on the Green Jacket on Sunday evening — which would take Spain’s overall wins up to six, pulling one clear of South Africa as they are both currently in second on five, and see the 27-year-old join two-time winners José María Olazábal, Seve Ballesteros and Sergio García.
So, with World No.2 Rahm on the hunt for his second major title after winning the US Open at Torrey Pines in California last June, let’s take a look at the last four European winners of Masters. Read on to find out more!
2017: Sergio García
A maiden major title felt like a long-time coming for García by the time he finally got his hands on a Green Jacket at Augusta in 2017. The Spaniard was consistent over the course of the week, carding 71-69-70 to go into the final round tied for the lead on six-under with England’s Justin Rose.
There was nothing to separate the Ryder Cup teammates during the final 18 holes either, both scoring 69 to finish nine-under and force a play-off. Replaying the final hole, Rose could fare no better than a bogey after finding the tree with his drive. García, with two putts for the win, rolled in from 12 feet to rubber-stamp his victory.
2016: Danny Willett
One of the biggest priced winners of the Masters, winning the Green Jacket from pre-tournament odds of 125/1, Danny Willett became just the second English winner at Augusta in 2016 — following in the footsteps of three-time champion Sir Nick Faldo.
While you can take nothing away from Willett’s success, the capitulation of defending Green Jacket holder Jordan Spieth certainly helped out the Sheffield man.
After a meltdown at Amen Corner, scoring bogeys on the 10th and 11th and a quadruple on the 13th, Willett was right back in it and three birdies in the last six holes was enough to see him win by two shots clear of Spieth and Westwood, who tied for second.
1999: José María Olazábal
The 1980s and 1990s were a fantastic time for European golf, especially at the Masters — with the likes of Faldo, Ballesteros and Bernhard Langer contributing towards 11 Augusta triumphs over the course of the two decades.
Of course, Olazábal played his part as well — winning the Green Jacket twice in 1994 and 1999. Two-under after the opening round in the latter, the Spaniard shot an impressive 66 on the second day to take his score to -8. He dropped a shot in the penultimate round, but keep the overnight lead, and one-under on Sunday was enough to secure a second victory in Georgia.
