Jon Rahm took the title of the 2023 Master’s Champion at the historic Augusta National Golf Club. As the champion of the tournament, Rahm took home 3.24 million dollars making this year’s tournament the highest payout in Masters history. Not only did Rahm receive 3.24 million dollars and the title of the 2023 Master’s Champion he advanced to the number one golfer in the world.
The Master’s is not Rahms first Major Championship. Rahm won his first Major Championship of his career at the 2021 US Open held at Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla, San Diego, California. During the 2021 US Open John Rahm revealed that he was born with a clubfoot and finally addressed commentators on his unorthodox short back swing.
Clubfoot is a congenital deformity that occurs in 1 in 1000 children present at birth. A shortened achilles tendon causes the foot to turn inward and sometimes downward causing the foot to be clubbed. If left untreated the foot will remain deformed resulting in not being able to walk properly.
Rahm shared his story with Shriners Children’s patient Phoenix who has a similar story. Rahm stated at birth he had all the bones in his right ankle broken and was put in a series of casts from the knee down in hopes to correct his clubfoot. Rahm shared that his right leg is a centimeter-and-a-half shorter than his left leg and that his right foot is a shoe size and a half smaller. The size and length discrepancy of his leg and foot is what limits his mobility resulting in his short backswing.
Jon Rahm’s incredible journey to becoming the 2023 Masters Champion and World Number One Golfer has brought awareness to clubfoot. Rahm has become a known figure that the clubfoot community can look up to. Rahm has brought hope and inspiration to families who share the same journey of treatment.
