The future of golf is in good hands. This is what Jack Nicklaus said a couple of years ago when a still little-known 20-year-old Basque brat pulverized the record number of strokes (six less) that the Golden Bear had set in 1960 at the World Amateur Championship. And Jon Rahm was already showing extraordinary golfing skills.
That same year he had broken the all-time record for eagles in a season (18), had signed the lowest round in the NCAA finals with 61 strokes and had made two forays by invitation in the American professional circuit, the PGA Tour, finishing fifth in the second of the tournaments, in Phoenix, where he would have won 240,000 dollars if he had played as a professional.
The truth is that he could have turned professional much earlier, but he had made a commitment to his parents that he would first finish his studies in Communication at the University of Arizona, where he had Tim Mickelson, brother of the famous Phil Mickelson, as his golf coach. And Jon, as a good Basque, kept his word.
Having been world number one amateur for over 50 weeks and the only player to win the Ben Hogan Award twice (2015 and 2016) as best collegiate player, he took the big step of turning pro after last year’s US Open, where he finished twenty-third and was the top amateur (and the only one of the eleven to make the cut).
His first tournament as a professional, in June of last year, was the Quickens Loans National, in which he came close to a victory for which he fought until the end. He finished third tied with the American Bill Haas and four strokes behind the winner, the also American Billy Hurley III. A month later he came even closer to victory, finishing second in the Canadian Open. Thanks to this and his previous performances, to which he gained access thanks to invitations from tournament sponsors, he became a member of the PGA Tour in just two months. In November he represented Spain, paired with Rafa Cabrera-Bello in the World Cup, held in Australia, finishing eighth.
With six top-25s in his first nine tournaments on the PGA Tour, it was in his twelfth appearance, at the end of last February, when he finally lifted his first trophy as a professional, at the Farmers Insurance Open, in Torrey Pines. Rahm became the youngest winner in the history of the tournament and his victory, sealed with a 20-meter putt for eagle on the 18th, qualified him directly to play in the Masters, which he will play this year for the first time. He also pocketed 1.2 million dollars (since he turned professional in June, he has earned 3.3 million in prize money alone).
Three weeks later, after finishing third in early March at the World Championship in Mexico, he became the first Spaniard to reach the final of the Dell Match World Championship in Texas, which he lost on the last hole to Dustin Johnson. That second place finish moved him up to fourth in the PTA Tour’s FedExCup ranking and fourteenth in the world ranking.
Member of the European Tour
His performance at the WGC-Mexico Championship, at Chapultepec Golf Club, where he finished third, Rahm disputed it as an affiliated member of the European Tour. The Basque, like American Kevin Na, has joined the ranks of the European Tour, formalizing that status, which he will maintain for the rest of the 2017 season.
Both players were then in the top 50 of the world ranking: Jon was ranked 26th, while Kevin, a Korean by birth and also a PGA Tour winner, was 47th. Both earned points for the Rolex Race to Dubai starting in this first Mexico World Championship; and Rahm, in addition, has the chance to score points when qualifying for the 2018 Ryder Cup in Paris begins.
As long as they remain among the top 50 in the world, Rahm and Na will be able to take part in any of the first five Rolex Series tournaments, the biggest prize money tournaments on the European Tour outside of the four majors.
Before the start of the Mexican tournament, Jon, also known as “Rahmbo”, had this to say about his relationship with the European Tour: “I’ve always wanted to be a member of the European Tour and play the Ryder Cup, but I never imagined I would get it so soon. It means a lot to me. I’m very excited and looking forward to getting out there and playing; I’m really looking forward to this being my first tournament that counts for the European Tour and I hope to do well.”
Regarding the way in which he has joined this circuit, he noted the following: “Obviously, the start of my professional career on the European Tour has been different from many players who have studied in the United States, I have been able to take advantage of a great opportunity and I am surprised to have achieved it in such a short time. I can’t believe that I am already a member of the European Tour”.
“The first hole I ever saw in my life was the 3rd hole at Valderrama when Justin Rose made a hole-in-one the year he won the Volvo Masters and was number one in Europe (2007)”.
“I remember several victories of Spanish players like the play-off between Sergio (Garcia) and Pablo (Larrazabal) in Germany, Miguel Angel (Jimenez) and Pablo winning the French Open, all the tournaments that Sergio has won… There have been many great moments, especially those that I have personally experienced at Valderrama. I am looking forward to playing some tournaments on the European Tour”.
And one of them will be, as he himself has assured, the Andalucía Valderrama Masters, in October.
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