Jon Rahm has the Ryder Cup in the review, with his sights on a record.
The Spaniard is teeing it up this week in the DP World Tour’s Spanish Open, where Rahm is trying to win the tournament for the fourth time and surpass his idol, Seve Ballesteros, for the most all-time.
Rahm, though, is still reveling if not also reeling from Europe’s victory in New York two weeks ago.
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“That week in New York was mentally the toughest week of my career, but at the same time it was the most fun I’ve had,” he said Tuesday in Spain. “What happened there during those three days was something inhospitable. At times, I couldn’t believe it.”
He’s referring to the raucous fan atmosphere.
“With alcohol being sold by 9 a.m., things were already out of control,” he said.
“You could compare it to soccer, but then you have the noise of 50,000 people and you don’t actually hear what each person is saying,” Rahm added. “In my case, every step I took, I could hear everything.”
And sticking it to the New York crowd was quite fulfilling.
After the Ryder Cup, Jon Rahm is focused on another Spanish Open title. / Peter Casey-Imagn Images
“It’s going to be hard to outdo that week, possibly in the 2031 Ryder here in Spain, which will be more special for me than for anybody else,” Rahm said.
Now, however, his focus shifts to claiming the Spanish Open title, playing alongside fellow LIV golfers such as Sergio Garcia, Patrick Reed and Joaquin Niemann. Plus, Ryder Cup teammate Shane Lowry and defending champion Ángel Hidalgo, who beat Rahm in a playoff last year.
“Trying to get that fourth,” Rahm said. “Getting one step closer to eventually possibly getting to No. 6. I was able to get three very, very fast, and it’s never easy, and I’m hoping I can do sooner than later. But just focusing on that, hopefully getting that fourth.”
