Jon Rahm, in the footsteps of golf greats

JON Rahmreturn to the top of world golf and the photograph that illustrates this page is not a casual choice because according to many, with the numbers in hand and saving the distances that mark different times, what the player is doing the barrel in recent weeks it closely resembles the dominance exercised by the best Tiger Woods. Rahm prevailed at the Genesis Invitational to achieve his third victory of 2023 in one of the emblematic stages of the PGA Tour, that almost century-old Riviera Country Club in which legends of the sport such as Tiger himself, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus never won. That fact, as surpass the nine victories in the American circuit of Seve Ballesterosheightened the emotion of the moment for an athlete who whenever possible recognizes those who preceded him and those who built the history of golf.

Was Woods himself, in his capacity as host of the Los Angeles tournament, the one who presented Jon Rahm with the winner’s trophy. “He is the best in the world and he has once again shown why. His heart, his determination and his ability to fight are things we can learn from him. Please understand and respect how good this kid is ”, praised the legend, who had closed his return to the competition with a very meritorious one under par after playing all four days, despite his obvious physical problems. The barrikoztarra had to work on it on the last day in which Max Homa once again became a tough nut to crack. The Californian, the other player who had added two victories this season, was playing at home since he was born and lives in that area of ​​Los Angeles, but had to bow in the last third of the round against a player who is going through the best moment of his career and that eleven months later he recovered the number 1 in the world.

In addition to the victory, the golfer from Barrika set another record in Riviera: he played par 3s during the four days at eight under par, the best mark since the shots were taken hole by hole and something not easy on some greens where the normal thing is kick downhill “Despite some mistake, I have managed to do what I had to”, summed up Rahm after a “stressful day in which I felt nervous at first, but in which I think I played golf very well” and which left him “exhausted”. , but also “proud to have been able to rebuild myself when things went wrong” and “excited and honored” by all that it means to win in the Tiger tournament “and in a field in which he and other myths could not win. I can’t describe how beautiful this week has been.”

Last spring, Rahm had a downturn in his game, the 2022 majors did not go well for him, but once he has put his routines back in order and introduced his two children to them, his return to the top has been tremendous. Since 1975, when Johnny Miller did it, no one had managed to add three victories so soon in a calendar year. It is already the most prolific year for the Biscayan on the PGA Tour and it has barely been two months since 2023. Jon Rahm won at the Sentry Tournament and the American Express, was seventh at the Farmers Insurance, third at the Phoenix Open and at Riviera has capped an almost perfect run down the West Coast.

Being the outstanding leader of the FedEx Cup and number 1 in the world is only the result of methodical work and overwhelming results and in no case by chance because Jon Rahm has already achieved two Top 10 finishes on the PGA Tour while still an amateur. “I have always been very disciplined and now I reap the fruit of hard work. Good times come and go. The dynamic is something that exists in the sport, but if you push yourself throughout the year and in the off weeks and at home you do the right things, you have a better chance of never feeling that feeling that you can lose momentum, ”he explained. . Since he is professional, He already has ten victories in the most demanding golf circuit and nineteen in total.he, what it means win 12% of the 158 tournaments he has played, and has finished in the top ten in more than half of them. This year he accumulates 93 under par in twenty rounds, with an average of 67.1 shots, and has only played three over 70 shots. “I love being told that almost every time I play I’m fighting to win,” he added.

now rahm will rest a week before to face the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players in Florida in March. “I don’t need any ranking to prove anything. I am having the best season of my life and I hope to continue at this level”, he proclaimed after winning the Genesis Invitational and being aware that he is beginning to walk in the footsteps of the greatest: “Getting to the top is hard, but staying for a long period of time is more difficult.”