Sports

Jon Rahm rallies to win the Masters as Spanish stars align

Published

2 years ago

April 9, 2023

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Jon Rahm turned the longest day into his sweetest victory, starting Sunday with a four-shot deficit in the morning chill and finishing in fading sunlight as the fourth Spaniard to become a Masters champion.

Rahm closed with a 3-under 69 to pull away from mistake-prone Brooks Koepka. He won by four shots over Koepka and 52-year-old Phil Mickelson, who turned in a tournament-best 65. He is the oldest runner-up in Masters history.

It was Mickelson who declared Rahm would be among golf’s biggest stars even before the Spaniard turned pro in 2016. Rahm now has a green jacket to go along with his U.S. Open title he won in 2021 at Torrey Pines.

Rahm made up two shots on Koepka over the final 12 holes of the rain-delayed third round and started the final round two shots behind. He seized on Koepka’s collapse and then surged so far ahead that Mickelson’s amazing closing round — the best final round ever at Augusta National for the three-time Masters champion — was never going to be enough.

Nothing was more satisfying than an uphill climb to the 18th green to claim the green jacket on a day when Spanish stars aligned. Sunday is the birthdate of his idol, the late Seve Ballesteros, and this is the 40-year anniversary of Ballesteros winning his second Masters title.

Rahm embraced his wife and two children, and as he walked toward the scoring room, there was two-time Masters champion José María Olazábal in his green jacket for the strongest hug of all.

Rahm won for the fourth time this year — just as Scottie Scheffler did a year ago when he won the Masters — and reclaimed the No. 1 world ranking from Scheffler.

This Masters had a little bit of everything — hot and humid at the start, a cold front with wind that toppled three trees on Friday, putting surfaces saturated from rain on Saturday and a marathon finish Sunday as Rahm and Koepka went 30 holes.

Koepka helped to pave the way with one miscue after another, losing the lead for the first time since Thursday afternoon when he chipped 20 feet past the hole from behind the par-3 sixth and made his second bogey. There would be more to come.

Worse yet, Koepka went 22 consecutive holes Sunday without a birdie — from the par-5 eighth hole in the morning of the third round until the par-5 13th in final round. By then, he was three shots behind and Rahm all but sealed it with his next shot.

He hit a low cut around a tree from right of the 14th fairway and it caught a slope just right on the 14th green and fed down to 3 feet for a birdie. When Koepka three-putted for bogey, it was a matter of finishing.

Rahm hooked his tee shot into the trees on the final hole and didn’t reach the fairway. No matter. He played up the fairway, hit wedge to 3 feet and tapped in for the victory.

The leaderboard was littered with major champions and a tinge of Saudi-funded LIV Golf. Mickelson and Koepka both are part of the rival circuit. Former Masters champion Patrick Reed, another player who defected to LIV, closed with a 68 and tied for fourth with Jordan Spieth (66) and Russell Henley.

Sports

Salsa Icon Marc Anthony Attends 2025 Miami Open with Wife Nadia Ferreira

Published

2 days ago

March 23, 2025

Willie David

Marc Anthony and his wife, Nadia Ferreira, watched as Serbian Novak Djokovic defeated Australian Rinky Hijikata at the 2025 Miami Open on March 21 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Florida National News/Roman Garay)

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (FNN) – Florida National News captured Latin music icon Marc Anthony and his wife, Nadia Ferreira, as they attended the 2025 Miami Open on March 21 in Miami Gardens, Florida. The couple watched as Serbian tennis legend Novak Djokovic defeated Australian Rinky Hijikata in an exciting match.

Marc Anthony, a global ambassador of Latin music, is a nine-time Latin Grammy Award winner with 28 nominations, according to the Latin Recording Academy. His presence at the prestigious tennis tournament added to the event’s star power, drawing attention from fans and media alike.

The Miami Open, one of the premier tennis tournaments in the world, continues to attract top-tier athletes and celebrity spectators each year, further cementing its status as a must-watch sporting event.

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J Willie David, III and Roman Garay
Florida National News and FNN News Network
News@FloridaNationalNews.com

Sports

Orlando City’s Offense Explodes in Historic 4-1 Victory Over D.C. United

Published

3 days ago

March 23, 2025

FNN SPORTS

Orlando City #87 Marco Pašalić. Photo by Florida National News / Harry Castiblanco

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) – Orlando City SC (2-2-1, 7 points) delivered a commanding 4-1 victory over D.C. United (1-1-3, 6 points) on Saturday night at Inter&Co Stadium, handing the visitors their first loss of the season. In a historic performance, all three of the Lions’ Designated Players found the back of the net in the same match for the first time in club history.

Offensive Explosion Fuels Orlando City’s Victory

Orlando City wasted no time setting the tone, breaking through in the 21st minute when Luis Muriel connected on a header off a cross from Alex Freeman, assisted by Iván Angulo. The Lions doubled their lead in the 44th minute, courtesy of a deflected strike from Martín Ojeda after Angulo disrupted D.C.’s defense.

The second half saw continued dominance from the home side. Freeman found the net in the 50th minute with a header off a free kick delivered by Ojeda. Marco Pašalić sealed the deal in the 56th minute, curling a spectacular left-footed shot into the top corner, earning him the Heineken Star of the Match.

D.C. United managed to get on the board in stoppage time (90+1′) when Lukas MacNaughton headed in a goal, assisted by Christian Benteke and Rida Zouhir.

– FNN Sports 2025 Miami Open Coverage

Historic Night and Key Performances

Martín Ojeda recorded his 24th and 25th career assists, tying with club legend Nani for second-most in team history.
Luis Muriel netted his second goal of the 2025 season, bringing his total to seven across all competitions for Orlando City.
Homegrown goalkeeper Javier Otero made his first career MLS start, recording four saves and securing his first win.
Alex Freeman (20 years, 227 days) became the second-youngest player in club history to register a goal and assist in a single match, behind only Daryl Dike.

What’s Next for Orlando City?

The Lions will now prepare for a cross-country showdown with the defending MLS Cup champions, LA Galaxy, on Saturday, March 29, at Dignity Health Sports Park. Kickoff is set for 10:30 p.m. ET and will air on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

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Monica Hoyos and Harry Castiblanco
Florida National News and FNN News Network
Sports@FloridaNationalNews.com

Sports

Porsche Penske Triumphs at 73rd Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring; Tandy Secures Triple Crown

Published

1 week ago

March 16, 2025

Willie David

SEBRING, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) – A historic sports car race added another memorable chapter to international motorsports history on Saturday night as Porsche Penske Motorsport captured a commanding win at the 73rd Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.

Photo by Florida National News / Roman Garay

Nick Tandy secured his place among endurance racing legends by becoming the 10th driver to win the prestigious Triple Crown of Endurance Racing: the Rolex 24 At Daytona, 24 Hours of Le Mans, and 12 Hours of Sebring. Tandy’s victory completes his career “Tandy Slam,” having also won at Nürburgring and Spa-Francorchamps.

Tandy, driving the No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963, shared the victory with teammates Felipe Nasr and Laurens Vanthoor. The trio had also won the Rolex 24 At Daytona earlier this year. For Tandy, this marks his fourth Sebring win (previously GTLM – 2018, 2019, 2020), while Nasr (DPi – 2019) and Vanthoor (GTD PRO – 2023) each claimed their second Sebring victory.

Porsche Dominates IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship

The No. 7 Porsche made history as the first car to win back-to-back IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship races at Daytona and Sebring in the same season since Wayne Taylor Racing’s 2017 feat with a Cadillac DPi-V.R.

The Porsches surged late in the race, capitalizing on cooler night conditions to outperform the No. 31 Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R. The No. 7 Porsche crossed the finish line 2.239 seconds ahead of its sister car, the No. 6 Porsche, driven by Mathieu Jaminet, Matt Campbell, and Kevin Estre. The No. 93 Acura Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb-Agajanian Acura ARX-06 claimed third.

Class Winners Shine at Sebring

Inter Europol Competition claimed the Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) victory with the No. 43 ORECA LMP2 07, driven by Tom Dillmann, Bijoy Garg, and Jeremy Clarke. Strategic pit stops and a late-race incident helped secure the win.
AO Racing dominated the Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) class with the No. 77 Porsche 911 R GT3 (992), driven by Laurin Heinrich, Klaus Bachler, and Alessio Picariello.
Winward Racing repeated its 2025 Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) class victory with the No. 57 Mercedes-AMG GT3, driven by Russell Ward, Philip Ellis, and Indy Dontje. Ellis’ aggressive late-race pass secured the win.