Jon Rahm’s Race to Dubai hopes came back to life at the last moment. The Spaniard now wants to finish the season with a Rolex Series double at the DP World Tour Championship, which starts at Jumeirah Golf Estates on Thursday.
Rahm arrived at last week’s Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship 51st in the Race to Dubai Rankings Delivered by DP World. At that point he faced a battle just to make the season finale.
Instead, he left Yas Links with his 11th DP World Tour title and sixth Rolex Series win. He’s now sixth in the standings, and another victory this week could see him crowned European Number One for a second time.
Jon Rahm’s Race to Dubai record on the Earth Course
His record on the Earth Course suggests he can do his part. In five appearances he has three wins and two more top-five finishes.
“I’m coming in with a little extra incentive,” he said. “I really didn’t think even winning last week I was going to have a chance to possibly win the Race to Dubai at all. So that obviously gives this week a little bit more meaning than it did before.”
Chasing Seve’s Harry Vardon Trophy haul
Six days ago this looked highly unlikely. If he pulls it off, his next target is Seve Ballesteros’ six Harry Vardon Trophies, and then more.
“It would mean a great deal. I think it would just be more of a step towards hopefully getting closer to what Seve was able to achieve,” said Rahm.
“But it would still be a long way to go. I think that second one would mean a lot, if I ever get to five or six, and then after that, you think about Monty and by then, you’ll probably be thinking about Rory, whatever he’s at.
“It would be special, to not knowing I had a chance, come in the last two weeks and get it done.”
A strong season, Majors aside
The win at Yas Links turned Rahm’s DP World Tour season on its head. Before it, he would have finished last at the BMW PGA Championship if other players hadn’t withdrawn.
He also missed the cut at the US Open. He had to miss the Open de España presented by Madrid, which he has won three times, because his fourth child was due; the baby was born last month.
Even so, he finished second at the US PGA Championship and has climbed back to sixth in the Official World Golf Ranking. He believes that, outside the Majors, it has been another good year.
“I’ve played really good golf this year,” he said. “It’s just that unfortunately some of my not-so-good weeks happen to be in the Majors. Besides the PGA where I had a decent chance of winning, the other three Majors, I didn’t do a good enough job.
“Overall really good, but those tournaments matter so much to all of us that, you know, kicking myself a little bit over that.”
