Jon Rahm, Spanish golf superstar, returns to his home tournament, the Spanish Open. He was just tested this past weekend at the Ryder Cup, hosted this year in New York. Rahm went on to describe the event as the mentally toughest week of his career. He further stressed the happiness he found while competing. Two weeks ago, he played a crucial role in helping Europe secure victory over the United States, teaming up with Tyrrell Hatton at Bethpage Black.
At the Ryder Cup, Rahm was subjected to the full force of the noisy New York mob. He said their welcoming hospitality sometimes turned inhospitable on a dime. It was a supremely charged atmosphere, made all the more so with alcoholic beverages available for purchase at 10:30 am.
“That week in New York was mentally the toughest week of my career, but at the same time it was the most fun I’ve had,” – Jon Rahm
He described how by 9 a.m., the day had clearly gone off the rails.
“With alcohol being sold [very early], by 9 a.m. things were already out of control,” – Jon Rahm
It was the first time he had felt such a raucous crowd. It was similar to soccer games he thought, with the separate voices coming together to form an impactful group growl.
“You could compare it to soccer, but then you have the noise of 50,000 people and you don’t actually hear what each person is saying,” – Jon Rahm
Now, as he competes for a record fourth title at the Spanish Open, Rahm aims to surpass legendary golfer Seve Ballesteros and become the most successful golfer in the tournament’s history since the European Tour’s inception in 1972. Rahm won the title on home soil at the Spanish Open in 2018, 2019 and 2022. After a valiant battle in 2022, he came up a stroke short after a playoff with Angel Hidalgo.
This year, he swaggers into Madrid for the seventh time. He needs to activate that local knowledge to become powerful enough to win. The Spanish Open offers an exciting incentive this year: an automatic spot in next year’s Masters and The Open Championship for the winner, a first for this tournament.
Selector_0_Rahm just recently won at the Ryder Cup. Now, he’ll be competing against LIV players, which throws even more intrigue into the event. As he steps onto familiar grounds, he carries with him both the weight of recent experiences and the hope of further cementing his legacy in Spanish golf.
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