When Jon Rahm tees up alongside Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler in the first round of the Phoenix Open it is fair to say the main focus will be on the young Spanish star – in spite of his illustrious company. His win last week in the Farmers Insurance Open propelled him into the spotlight, even if he had already been lurking prominently in the wings ready to confirm his class with a debut USA PGA Tour victory.
As Alex Myers commented on the Golf Digest website, referring to Tiger Woods’ comeback and missed cut, “As it turned out, Woods gave us the year’s most over-hyped performance outside of La La Land (more like “Blah Blah Land,” am I right? OK, please don’t hurt me) but it was great to see him back. And it was even better that golf fans still had so much else to talk about long after he jetted away from La Jolla. Let’s break it all down…
“Jon Rahm: What a back nine. What a putt. What a stud. The most can’t-miss pro prospect in recent years proved that label to be true with a Torrey Pines finish that would make even fellow TaylorMader Tiger Woods proud. We haven’t heard Jim Nantz get this excited since Phil Mickelson last won the Masters.
“For Rahm, 22, this looks like it’s the first of many wins on the PGA Tour. One day, he’ll probably regret that hat, but for now, he’s flying high. Just one bad piece of news for American golf fans: he hails from Spain so get ready for him to torment you for decades. And imagine if he pairs with countryman Sergio Garcia? Talk about a nightmare.”
Closer attention is also being paid to Rahm’s life away from the fairways. Arizona State University, for example, posted a photo of him with girlfriend Kelley Cahill on its website blog. Both attended the university where Cahill, who is from Portland (Oregon), competed in the track and field javelin throwing team.
This week is something of a triumphant home-coming for Rahm: he lived in Arizona for five years while studying at the university and starring on its golf team.
