Henry McKenna
NFL Reporter
MIAMI — I needed Jon Rahm to say he’s one of the best golfer on this planet.
However he would not.
“That is a loaded query,” he mentioned, throwing again his head for amusing. “That is a loaded query.”
Forward of LIV Golf Miami, we had been sitting in a quiet room on the second ground of Trump Nationwide Doral Resort. Above the crystal chandeliers, marble flooring, and teal-blue swimming pools of the palatial lodge, Rahm started to consider what a serious championship is price, about what the world’s finest golfer’s résumé ought to appear like and about how he expects the golf world to measure his profession when he is completed.
“You are gauged a lot in these main championships, proper?” Rahm informed FOX Sports activities. “All the sudden, folks began caring about what I mentioned (after the U.S. Open win in 2021).”
By the tip of the weekend, he would end tied for ninth (+1). He has by no means completed exterior the highest 10 in any of his 17 LIV appearances. Even with all these top-10 finishes, Rahm would not appear happy together with his two particular person wins in LIV when in comparison with his league rival, Joaquin Niemann, who has 4 particular person championships over the identical span.
“I feel lots of people would quite have the {hardware} than the statistics,” Rahm mentioned when requested about his run of top-10 finishes.
And maybe that is why he laughed at my “loaded query.” As a result of he felt prefer it was off base. With all that consistency, Rahm indicated his sport is not the place he desires it to be.
“I have never been enjoying to the extent of consolation I wish to be enjoying at,” Rahm mentioned. “There’s been instances this final 12 months and a half that I’ve presumably been enjoying worse than my scores have confirmed — simply because I have been capable of publish good scores and handle the sport a bit of bit higher.”
That sounds … harsh.
“I am being extraordinarily vital,” Rahm mentioned with a chuckle. “I feel my swing shouldn’t be as fluid as I would really like. I feel there’s been a bit of bit an excessive amount of thought all through the method, and that is due to different elements associated to the sport. We do not have sufficient time for me to get into every part. … I am not one hundred pc assured on how the shot I take into consideration goes to come back out, as a result of I used to be battling a couple of issues — swing ideas. It is a bit of a movement state that is been a bit of disrupted.”
It is the lofty normal he is holding himself to, as a result of it is the usual that is required for profitable the majors. That is proper, it is main season. The Masters start in a matter of days. And the LIV celebrity will head to Augusta to problem his league-mates in Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka and his PGA rivals in Scottie Scheffler and Rory McElroy, amongst others.
Rahm will not get away with the standard of play that he is been getting by on. Not if he desires to win.
“You get a participant of that caliber speaking about that a part of his sport,” mentioned David Feherty, retired golfer and LIV broadcaster. “(Rahm) is sort of a V8 engine. There’s one cylinder not fairly f—ing working. You bought that lumpy (feeling) sitting there on the five hundred horsepower. You understand he isn’t firing on all cylinders, however you possibly can hear him coming. It is solely a matter of time with him earlier than he wins once more.”
***
It began in 2023. Individuals began introducing him as “Jon Rahm, Masters champion.”
Rahm informed me that he needed to remind these folks: “And U.S. Open champion.”
Clearly, not all majors are created equal. However similar to an M.D. for a physician, a serious win attaches itself to a golfer’s identify. And that main win legitimizes a participant’s profession.
It is why some bristled on the suggestion that Rahm’s league-mate, Niemann, is not but within the dialog as one of the best participant on this planet. Phil Mickelson mentioned Niemann is one of the best on this planet. Others aren’t so certain. The Chilean has but to complete within the high 15 at a serious — not to mention win one. Niemann is wrestling with main strain.
Once I requested Rahm to return and bear in mind when he was in Niemann’s footwear, Rahm mentioned he did not really feel the strain to win one — nor did he really feel a serious sense of aid upon profitable. As a result of he did not view himself any otherwise. Others did.
“It nearly felt like I bought validation from the general public and even possibly the media. It is like rapidly what I used to be saying in interviews really mattered greater than earlier than, after I by no means modified my reply. It was actually bizarre. It was like I had a … new degree of credibility, which is kind of attention-grabbing,” he mentioned. “However I additionally perceive that, proper? It is nearly like it’s important to show your self as a serious champion. Although internally it’s possible you’ll know you are ok, you continue to should do it.”
He added: “OK lastly, seal of approval. Go on.”
So … what’s subsequent?
He thought of which main he’d prefer to win subsequent. Briefly, he thought of what it is perhaps prefer to win the PGA Championship — no Spaniard has ever gained the PGA — however there’s one other main he’d like extra.
“The extra I give it some thought proper now, getting the second Inexperienced Jacket would imply a lot within the sense of tying Seve (Ballesteros) and Ollie (José María Olazábal),” Rahm informed FOX Sports activities. “After which getting to a few majors would make me third within the Spanish all-time record. That will be fairly large as properly.”
The extra Rahm mentioned the state of his swing and the space he feels he’s from first place, the extra I sensed an urgency in his mindset. He is 30 years outdated and he is tasted champagne in a Inexperienced Jacket. However as soon as clearly is not sufficient. He is dying to take a seat in hanging distance on a serious Sunday once more. Heck, he is dying to even be a stroke or two off the winner on a serious Sunday. It is all about these moments of greatness.
“These strain moments are what you reside for,” Rahm mentioned. “You’ve got gotta put your self there although.”
Jon Rahm heads to Augusta eyeing a second profession Inexperienced Jacket.
It is nearly like he’s referencing his efficiency at LIV Riyadh, when he simply barely eked out a tie for second (-15) however wasn’t in true rivalry towards the top-finisher, Niemann (-17). In a post-tournament presser in Riyadh, Rahm appeared disillusioned in his efficiency — or maybe unimpressed with himself, as he was forward of LIV Miami. And on the Nationwide, his efficiency was extra of the identical. He was briefly in first place within the ultimate spherical on Sunday, however a couple of unhealthy holes knocked him out of rivalry. It looks as if that goes again to the best way he is eking out these robust finishes, with out the identical swagger.
However then it is also a little bit of the Ricky Bobby slogan: In case you’re not first, you are final.
“If you play (in these strain moments), you cherish them whenever you’re completed enjoying,” Rahm mentioned. “Yeah, it is essentially the most memorable factor. If you are going to go football-wise, you bear in mind these video games which might be a one-score sport. And also you see it shuttle, proper? And you’ve got these AFC Championships between the Chiefs and the Payments. You bear in mind as a result of all of them appear to be a one-score sport. And also you bear in mind the tip.”
Win or lose, the shut finishes are those you always remember.
Whereas we’re on the subject of soccer, I requested Rahm whether or not there’s a quarterback he likens himself to. He’s, in spite of everything, the captain of Legion XIII. In some ways, he is the quarterback, the chief and essentially the most influential member of the staff’s success. Rahm toiled with a good comparability. Why? Nicely, he saved making clear that it is all about championships.
Patrick Mahomes, for instance, felt like a lofty comparability, as a result of the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs QB is drawing comparisons to the GOAT, Tom Brady. To be within the dialog as one of many biggest? Rahm would not assume he is there but.
“Mahomes is a a lot better soccer participant career-wise than I’ve (been) as far as a golfer,” he mentioned. “If you being in comparison with the best of all time this early, I have never completed sufficient to be in contrast wherever near that.”
So who’s it going to be?
“Any individual that is all the time been actually constant and actually good — persona apart — possibly Drew Brees. Additionally going to say Brett Favre, persona apart,” Rahm mentioned. “Or Josh Allen, simply because he is nonetheless younger and he can get a win as properly.”
I just like the Brees comparability. He gained a Tremendous Bowl. With a fast launch, Brees was a grasp of the quick (or fast) sport — however that wasn’t the one factor he did properly. With a shortened backswing, Rahm has pinpoint accuracy that blends properly together with his aggressive shot selection. Brees and Rahm are each surgeons of their video games.
But when there’s any comparability we ought to be making, it is to a Formulation 1 driver. In any case, that has been LIV’s purpose: place the league’s team-format occasions like Formulation 1. So which F1 driver does Rahm really feel he compares most carefully with? That truly made for a tougher comparability — once more, due to championships and wins. He saved saying he did not need to examine himself to Pink Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen, who has 63 wins and 4 driver championships.
“A younger Fernando (Alonso),” Rahm mentioned.
After which he succumbed to the comparability he tried to keep away from.
“Or Max. Simply due to how aggressive they’re with no worry,” he mentioned. “Accomplishments apart.”
Once more, I needed Jon Rahm to say he’s one of the best golfer on this planet. He would not.
However what he did inform me is that he has the mentality to be one of the best golfer on this planet. That is why he likened himself to a younger Alonso and Verstappen. At this part in Rahm’s profession, it is about constructing his legacy. This weekend, he’ll get the possibility to ensure folks introduce him as a two-time Masters champion. After which he can interject and say: And three-time main winner.
Previous to becoming a member of FOX Sports activities as an NFL reporter and columnist, Henry McKenna spent seven years overlaying the Patriots for USA TODAY Sports activities Media Group and Boston Globe Media. Comply with him on Twitter at @henrycmckenna.
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