It is particularly appropriate that Jon Rahm is leading after the first round of the CareerBuilder Challenge on the U.S. PGA Tour. As an exercise in “career building” his achievements since turning pro in June 2016 have been exceptional. In his first full season in the paid ranks, he won on the PGA Tour and twice on the European Tour (both prestigious Rolex Series events), and he is now third in the world rankings. As Dustin Johnson (first) plays this week in Abu Dhabi (on the European Tour) and Jordan Spieth (second) takes a break, Rahm has a chance of rising to second in the rankings.

At the CareerBuilder Challenge in California – played over three different courses for the first three rounds – 23-year-old Rahm immediately lived up to his billing as the pre-tournament favourite, shooting a bogey-free 62 on the opening day at La Quinta Country Club to take the lead.

As the Tour report noted, “His rapid ascent through the ranks of pro golf has been impressive, and it continued with his eight birdies and an eagle that stole the attention from tournament host Phil Mickelson. In his past two starts, Rahm won the European Tour’s season-ending event in Dubai and finished second at the Sentry Tournament of Champions (to the world’s top-ranked player). His price is rising faster than Bitcoin, but people aren’t worried about this bubble bursting.”

Rahm, who missed just two fairways and three greens, called it one of the best ball-striking rounds of his life. “Kapalua wasn’t the best ball-striking week of my life, but I was able to scramble really well and keep calm and have a good score,” he said. “Today it was the complete opposite. I… just had it going.”

Rahm had his eye on 59 after making the turn in 30 and hitting his approach shot to five feet on the 10th hole. He missed that birdie putt, but rebounded with birdies on three of the next four holes. Three consecutive pars were followed by a birdie at the 18th hole.

“Maybe I relaxed a little too much,” he admitted. “I missed a couple of iron shots and had to struggle for pars. I’m just thankful to finish the way I did with a birdie on the 18th hole, which is always great for momentum.”

Rahm was the rare player in recent history who earned a PGA Tour card without playing the Web.com Tour, but the most recent class of graduates from that circuit is hot on his tail. Six of the top eight players on the leaderboard graduated from the Web.com Tour in 2017, led by RSM Classic champion Austin Cook. He’s tied for second with his former Arkansas teammate Andrew Landry, and Jason Kokrak.

Cook’s 63 was Thursday’s low round at the Nicklaus Tournament Course, while Landry and Kokrak played La Quinta. (Grayson Murray and Nick Watney both shot the low round on the Stadium Course, seven-under 65.)

Phil Mickelson had an erratic day at La Quinta Country Club, making five birdies and three bogeys. A bogey on his final hole gave him a two-under 70 in his first competitive round since October. He hit 10 of 14 fairways, but just nine greens in regulation.

Next week Rahm defends his debut PGA Tour title, the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in San Diego, where Tiger Woods is also due to make his official competition comeback.