Jon Rahm seeks the record at the Spanish Open after the Ryder Cup
Jon Rahm returns to action in his home tournament in Spain, after what he considers was the most mentally difficult week of his career during the Ryder Cup in New York. Rahm is in Madrid to try to win his fourth Spanish Open title and surpass Seve Ballesteros as the most successful golfer in the tournament since the creation of the European circuit in 1972. Rahm contributed to Europe’s victory at the Ryder Cup in the United States two weeks ago, where the local crowd harassed the European players from the start.Rahm teamed up with Tyrrell Hatton at Bethpage Black and they were some of the Europeans most pointed out by the New York public. Rahm stated that he heard everything from the American fans and that, “with the sale of alcohol [very early], at 9 in the morning things were already out of control.” “It could be compared to soccer, but then you have the noise of 50,000 people and you don’t really hear what each person is saying,” Rahm said. “In my case, with every step I took I could hear everything.” Rahm added that the result couldn’t have been better, as Europe took the victory to retain the trophy won two years ago in Rome. “It’s going to be difficult to top that week, possibly at the 2031 Ryder Cup here in Spain, which will be more special for me than for anyone else,” Rahm said. Rahm will make his seventh appearance in Madrid, with victories in 2018, 2019 and 2022. He was runner-up against fellow Spaniard Ángel Hidalgo in a playoff last year. Ballesteros won the last of his 50 titles on the European circuit at the Spanish Open in 1995. The Spanish Open this year will be the first time the tournament offers an automatic spot for next year’s Masters and Open Championship to the winner. Rahm and Sergio García, winner of the 2002 Spanish Open, are among the LIV players in the field. Also playing this week are Patrick Reed, Joaquín Niemann, and Shane Lowry, who made the putt that retained the cup for Europe in the Ryder Cup. This year also marks the 50th anniversary of the great golfer Arnold Palmer’s victory in the tournament in 1975.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. What happened there during those three days was something inhospitable. Sometimes I couldn’t believe it.
Jon Rahm
