Jon Rahm, the great 30-year-old Spanish golfer, is an undeniable sensation. He’s playing The Open Championship at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland. He is putting himself in contention for a third major title. He would become just the second Spaniard to win The Open, joining the legendary Hall of Famer Seve Ballesteros. Rahm’s record is unmatched. Having won the 2021 U.S. Open and 2023 Masters, he is now the only Spanish golfer to have won three of the four existing major championships.
Even with his overwhelming accomplishments, Rahm had an up-and-down tournament. Bad luck led to a frustrating whiff from him on the par-4 10th hole. After knocking his approach shot into the right collection area rough he would eventually make a bogey on 18. This botch was only worsened by a fan that whistled while he was making his backswing which led Jon Rahm to voice some serious displeasure.
“Right on my backswing. Very smart, whoever it was.” – Jon Rahm
Rahm’s performance has been mixed recently. He was runner-up at a LIV event in Andalucía, Spain, last week, a place of tableaux and tapas. Just last month, he finished T-7 at the U.S. Open. His highest ever finish at The Open was two years ago, where he finished tied second. Against such a background, he comes into this year’s production competition with such ambition but more importantly, experience.
“The hardest tee shot on the course, raining, into the wind off the left, it’s enough,” Rahm articulated, describing the challenges of the Royal Portrush course. Even as he walks the course on a day-to-day basis, he has the end goal of a career Grand Slam on his mind.
In addition to his individual aspirations, Rahm recognizes the significance of this potential victory in the context of Spanish golf history. He stated,
“There’s just a few things that would make this one so special. Not only getting to three majors, being the second Spanish player [along with] Seve [Ballesteros] to win an Open and being the only one to three different majors, that would be — yeah, makes it very, very special, on top of everything that already is.” – Jon Rahm
As the tournament continues, fans are following Rahm’s play anxiously. Analysts are particularly interested in how he’ll manage his emotions and ultimately his gameplay when the pressure gets turned way up. Only time will tell, but his determination and skill will enable him to be a critical component. His hopes are to add another big title to his already decorated career.
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