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Jon Rahm spoke to the media on Tuesday forward of his Masters protection.
Getty Photographs
On Sunday night, as World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler rallied into the lead and three of his hardest rivals tried desperately to chase him down and the Gamers Championship crescendoed to its dramatic conclusion, Jon Rahm was watching.
This weekend marked 100 days since Rahm logged onto a media Zoom name sporting a black LIV letterman jacket to announce his defection to the controversial upstart tour. That call meant no Sentry Match of Champions. It meant no Genesis Invitational. It meant no WM Phoenix Open. And it meant no Gamers Championship. I’d spoken to Rahm in January about that call and he appeared at peace with it, understanding he’d been well-compensated to make the leap. However what has the fact been like for probably the greatest golfers on this planet — and a self-described pupil of the sport’s historical past — to observe from the sidelines as his former colleagues battle it out for one among golf’s most prestigious prizes?
We acquired a solution.
On Tuesday morning, the defending Masters champion logged onto a media Zoom name sporting his inexperienced jacket. He apologized for being a couple of minutes late, he apologized for what he thought of a substandard knot in his gold tie (I believe these two issues had been associated), he launched into an epic description of his champions dinner menu after which, fortunately, the primary reporter’s query addressed that precise curiosity.
A pair months into your new journey, how are you feeling in regards to the tournaments you’re enjoying — and the tournaments you aren’t?
The subtext was clear: Does it harm? Rahm didn’t draw back from that concept.
“There are some tournaments I’m going to overlook,” he mentioned. “I hope I get to tee it up on the Gamers once more. It could be somewhat little bit of a bitter style if my last-ever begin on the Gamers was WD as a result of I used to be sick.”
That WD got here final 12 months, when Rahm shot one-under 71 within the first spherical of the Gamers after which bailed on Friday as a result of sickness. He had one other high-profile WD when he examined constructive for Covid on the Memorial in 2021, however Rahm identified on Tuesday that the Gamers was the one time he’d withdrawn “of my very own will” in his profession.
“It could undoubtedly be a bizarre feeling if I by no means acquired to do it once more,” he mentioned.
However Rahm careworn that he was impressed with what he noticed. He spoke to the significance of the event, giving weight to its legacy and custom. That context, he mentioned, made particular person performances that rather more spectacular.
“The truth that I noticed TPC Sawgrass come right down to having individuals shoot 20 beneath par is sort of unbelievable,” he mentioned. Scheffler gained at 20 beneath; the trio of Wyndham Clark, Xander Schauffele and Brian Harman completed a shot again at 19 beneath.
“I couldn’t inform the course situations, proper, I wasn’t there, but it surely appeared just like the greens had been up to the mark,” he mentioned. “The greens at instances perhaps somewhat bit softer, however nonetheless, to go to that golf course and shoot that low, I might have guessed in case you shoot 20 beneath that you’re at the least successful by 5, so the truth that Scottie solely gained by one is unimaginable.”
“What an accomplishment, too, to be the primary ever back-to-back champion with just about each nice golfer within the historical past of this recreation having performed that event at that golf course. To be the primary one to do it back-to-back is particular.”
Rahm’s LIV friends haven’t all the time been eager to talk to the status of PGA Tour occasions; it was notable to listen to his acknowledgement.
Rahm praised the host web site, TPC Sawgrass, the place he mentioned “there’s no approach to disguise.”
“It’s what makes it such a terrific championship is when you have got such various champions,” he mentioned, referring to the various forged of characters which have lifted the trophy in current historical past.
After which he summed it up like all PGA Tour fan would possibly.
“It was enjoyable to observe, and what a end. Jesus Christ, that was one which was enjoyable to observe. I really feel for Wyndham as a result of to come back again and play the final three holes the best way he did and have that lip-out, it’s gut-wrenching to observe, but it surely made for nice TV, and it was actually enjoyable.”
What a gross sales pitch! Rahm reiterated later within the presser that he needs PGA Tour gamers nothing however the most effective and that, for probably the most half, he’s had cordial interactions with these he’s seen. His phrases matched up with that sentiment.
As for the way he’s having fun with his tenure on LIV?
“It’s clearly somewhat bit completely different, however I’ve been having fun with it,” he mentioned. He spoke to the expertise of touring to Hong Kong, the place he mentioned he’d fortunately return on trip. The individuals had been good, the golf course was unbelievable and the meals setup was “unimaginable.”
In different phrases, Rahm expressed no regrets about his determination to depart. Nor did he name for the 2 leagues to come back again collectively; he recommended as an alternative that they coexist.
“I feel there’s room for all of us, and there’s room for the sport of golf to get to the following degree and have extra viewership choices,” he mentioned.
However as ruminated on his Masters title protection, one reporter requested a last query about what it’s like not to have the ability to defend his different titles. Wins on the Sentry, on the American Categorical, on the Genesis…
“I’m not going to lie; for everyone who mentioned [leaving for LIV] can be straightforward, some issues have been, however not having the ability to defend some titles that imply lots to me hasn’t,” Rahm mentioned. “I like Palm Springs. I’ve been capable of win twice there. Riviera is about as charismatic of a golf course as we now have. It’s undoubtedly every week that it’s unbelievable for lots of us, and it’s a fan and participant favourite. Not being there was tough.
“I nonetheless watched the published. I nonetheless watch golf as a result of I like watching it. But it surely’s laborious. It was laborious to not be on the Phoenix Open on the finish of February, and it was laborious to not be at Hawaii as a result of it’s one other event that my household enjoys and I’ve finished unbelievable on.”
The choice was all the time advanced. There have been all the time tradeoffs. And what occurs subsequent stays unclear; the day earlier than Rahm spoke, PGA Tour representatives had met with LIV financier Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of the Saudi PIF, as talks between the 2 excursions proceed. Rahm says he’ll double down on the golf — notably the week he’s scheduled to return that inexperienced jacket.
“It’s finished. It’s previous. It’s a choice I made, and I’m snug with it,” he mentioned. “However I’m hoping I can come again, and hopefully I can really defend [Masters] week, as effectively. That might be a dream come true. Not many back-to-back champions, and that may be very distinctive to have the ability to put my identify to that record.”
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