Jon Rahm has only been a professional since last June. Yet already he has won his first US PGA title (the Farmers Insurance Open in February in just his 12th Tour start), has risen to 14th in the world rankings and is fourth in the FedExCup standings, with over $3 million prizemoney in nine events in the 2017 season.
This past weekend he went within one hole of further embellishing that sensational record. Competing in just his second World Golf Championship (after finishing third in the Mexico Championship earlier in March), he became the first Spaniard to make the final of the Dell Match Play in Texas.
Victory against Dustin Johnson would have made him the youngest winner in the history of the World Golf Championships, at 22 years, four months and 17 days beating Patrick Reed’s mark of 23 years, seven months and four days in the 2014 Mexico Championship. Rory McIlroy is the youngest winner in Dell Match Play history, having won in 2015 at 25 years, 11 months and 25 days.
In the end Rahm lost 1-up to the world number, after a mediocre start on the front nine but fighting back to take Johnson to the 18th hole. Though disappointed in losing, he left Austin focusing on the positives. “It shows me that I can compete with someone like DJ and any other player, even if I had probably one of my worst front nines possible. I’m probably going to learn a lot from this week… Unfortunately for me, today was the worst day I’ve played golf all week.”
His run to the final had indeed been impressive, just as dominating as Johnson’s. He won three of his first six matches in 15 holes or less, and needed just 73 holes on his way to a 5-0 record entering the semi-finals. He beat Kevin Chappell 3&2 and Shane Lowry 2&1 in his first round-robin matches and trounced Sergio García 6&4 in his third to make it to the knock-out stage. He then thumped Charles Howell III 6&4 in the round of 16 and Søren Kjeldsen 7&5 in the quarter-finals, before gaining a place in the final with a 3&2 victory against Bill Haas.
On the eve of that match, Haas said, “He's playing great golf. Not just this week. I don't think a single player out here would argue that he's one of the top five, top 10 players in the world. He's hungry, he wants more. He wants a major. You can just see it in him. He's got that thing about him that's going to make him a big-time winner out here, and hopefully I can hang with him.”
Rahm himself said, “My expectations are usually really high but once I come to tournaments I forget about it. I'm here to play golf and play day-by-day. I really play to win. I compete to win. And my mindset is winning. I really do my mental work before. And once I get to tournaments I just focus on what I have to do, stick to my routine, breakfast, warm up, hit balls, and think about it each shot at a time.
“I'm a believer the better my life is outside my golf environment, family, friends, anything, the better I'm going to be able to play golf. And that's where I do a lot of work. It's getting mentally ready and not getting hung up in wanting to win. Every day waking up motivated to practice hard and be aware that if I play good I'm going to have a chance.”
WGC Slam for Johnson
Meanwhile, Johnson’s victory made him the first person to complete the WGC career slam. Tiger Woods has won more WGC events than any other player (18 to second-placed Johnson’s five) but he didn’t win the HSBC Champions in either of his two starts. Johnson previously won the 2014, HSBC, 2016 Bridgestone Invitational, and 2015 and 2017 Mexico Championship.
Tiger Woods was the last player to win both consecutive WGC titles (2013) and three straight WGC events. Johnson’s next opportunity to match him will be at the Bridgestone Invitational the first week of August.
