Rahm participation fears abate after wife gives birth

DOUBTS over Jon Rahm’s participation in the Masters appear to be over after his wife Kelley gave birth to a baby boy over the weekend. The world number three had previously said the baby was due during the first major of the year, and that he was not prepared to miss the birth. Rahm announced the arrival of baby Kepa on Instagram, writing: ‘Kepa Cahill Rahm, was born on April 3 at 12.15am. Momma Kelley is doing great and recovering. Kepa is also in great health. He is 7.2lb and 20.5ins, big boy from the Basque Country. Without a doubt the greatest day of my life!’ Spaniard Rahm is among the favourites to win at Augusta as he continues his pursuit of a first major triumph. The 26-yearold’s best Masters finish was fourth in 2018, while he was tied for seventh in last year’s rearranged event in November. Meanwhile, double US Open champion Andy North believes Bryson DeChambeau could ‘lap the field’ in the Masters at one point in his career. DeChambeau dominated the build-up in November after blasting his way to a six-shot win in the US Open in September and making the bold claim that he viewed Augusta National as a par 67 due to all the par fives being within reach. In reality a third-round 69 was the best DeChambeau could manage on his way to a tie for 34th, but North feels the bighitting American will get his hands on a green jacket. ‘You don’t mess with the golf Gods,’ ESPN analyst North said in reference to DeChambeau’s par-67 claim. ‘Whenever you start thinking it’s easy, that’s when you’re in big trouble, but I thought what he tried to do was really cool. It’s really interesting what he is trying to accomplish. ‘It didn’t work last fall. It doesn’t mean it won’t work this spring. The guy hit driver, sand wedge to 13 (a par five). ‘If you do that enough times, there’s going to be a week where he drives the ball great at Augusta National and wins by eight shots.’ DeChambeau won his eighth PGA Tour title in the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March and demonstrated his prodigious distance off the tee with some audacious drives on the par-five sixth in particular. ‘Nobody else can hit it the places he can hit it right now,’ added North, who won the US Open in 1978 and 1985. ‘He’s not trying to hit it quite as hard, but anybody who watched the couple of tee shots he hit at Bay Hill, they were the most ridiculous things I’ve ever seen. ‘His putting has improved dramatically. Can he do it in Augusta? Can he figure out those greens? ‘That’s a big part of it. There will be a time I believe he will, and he might lap the field that week.’