Comfort level? Crowd support? Camaraderie? Compatriots? Or mere coincidence?
Jon Rahm has endured a largely infuriating 2022, failing to land a top-10 finish in the major championships, slipping from the top of the world rankings and generally giving the impression (especially on and around the greens) of being a grizzly bear in need of Advil, but when he has teed it up in countries speaking his native language, the 27-year-old Spaniard is 2-for-2.
The first victory came in May at the Mexico Open at Vallarta, the respected title’s inaugural appearance on the PGA Tour.
On Sunday, he added triumph in the Acciona Open de España, a staple of the DP World Tour schedule, one of Europe’s most valued national championships and the third time the Basque native has lifted the trophy in just four career starts.
Watched by his grandmother at Club de Campo Villa Madrid, Rahm entered the weekend two back of the lead in his quest to become the first three-time winner of the tournament since the late, great Severiano Ballesteros. (Ángel de la Torre, a pioneer in Spanish golf in the early 20th century, won his national open a record five times.)
Thereafter Rahm was imperious, his progress impeded by just one bogey in the final 36 holes. The error was a mere trifle as he racked up 14 birdies and an eagle-3 in his closing rounds of 65-62 for a 25-under-par total of 259 that left him fully six blows clear of the French runner-up Matthieu Pavon.
If anyone was oblivious to the resonance of the win – and it’s hard to imagine anyone in the gleefully patriotic gallery was – a voice on the final green bellowed “Viva Seve!” as Rahm’s short birdie putt found the bottom of the hole.
The victor himself responded with raised arms that suggested relief followed by a trademark fist pump of explosive intent.
Equally typical was his measured response to the triumph because it remains one of the great curiosities of the sport that Rahm’s fearsome on-the-course nature contrasts so markedly with his considered remarks off it.
“Truthfully, pressure-packed moments like this make it better. Pressure makes diamonds. Sometimes you get a diamond like this one.”
Jon Rahm
Asked by Sky Sports TV to put his win into perspective, he said: “You might need to ask me in a few days because I take quite a while to process these things. It was the goal coming in. Seve is a great hero of mine, and to do something he took his whole career to do is quite humbling, I’m not going to lie.
“It might not be the strongest field I play all year, but sometimes these can be the hardest to win. I’m at home; I’m supposed to win; everybody is betting on me to win, and to come out and play a Sunday like I just did is hard to describe.
“It was pretty much a perfect week. The only thing that would make it better is if my wife and kids were here, but I have a lot of family here that I don’t see throughout the year to celebrate with. It’s emotional.
“I’ve spoken many times about how the 1997 Ryder Cup (hosted by Spain) and Seve (affected me). Some friends of my dad’s started me playing golf. Otherwise, who knows what else I’d be? I’m here because of that alone. It is down to the path that he paved for so many of us. Not only him but Olly (José María Olazábal) after him and then Sergio (García).
“And to feel the support from the crowd on that 18th hole is hard to believe. I know it’s supposed to help, but in golf sometimes that crowd can get in your head. I’m proud I was able to do what I did. Truthfully, pressure-packed moments like this make it better. Pressure makes diamonds. Sometimes you get a diamond like this one.”
Maybe it was no coincidence after all.
Matt Cooper