After he and wife Kelley welcomed their second son to the world with the birth of Eneko Cahill Rahm last month, Jon Rahm turns his attention back to the DP World Tour and it’s flagship event where he is set to play in front of “knowledgeable and supportive fans”.
By Jon Rahm’s own standards he hasn’t set the world alight this year, but the four-time Rolex Series champion still arrives here this week as one of the hot favourites amongst a field of Major champions and Ryder Cup stars.
“I cannot wait to return to the BMW PGA Championship,” said Rahm. “It really is an incredible event – a huge attendance of knowledgeable and supportive fans, a world-class golf course and it’s a historic championship.”
Following in Seve’s footsteps
The 24-year-old nearly followed in the footsteps of European greats and fellow countrymen Seve Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal as a Spanish winner at Wentworth in 2019, but fell just short of Danny Willet’s total.
A birdie putt on the 16th that would have narrowed the gap to one horse-shoed out, and trailing by two coming up the last, when his approach to the green landed in the water, his challenge was over.
>He’s hoping to right those wrongs this week to become the first player to five Rolex Series titles.
“I have always had a great time when playing at Wentworth and obviously I came close the last time I was there. I’m aiming to bring my best game this week and challenge for the title once again,” he said.
“I’ve spoken many times about how much I like the history of the game and when it comes to the history of The European Tour, the DP World Tour, this event and this venue is very, very important. A lot of great champions. I was close the only time I came and I’m looking forward to hopefully giving myself a better chance.
“I’m happy that I can be here for the first time this year. I did play The Scottish Open, but to be a full DP World event, I’m happy to be here and hoping that I can play a lot more times in the future.
“It’s a golf course that I enjoy, a very nice area of the country and if we get luckier with the weather than we are right now it should be a very fun week.”
Ryder Cup talisman
With the Ryder Cup qualification process starting this week at Wentworth, Rahm will be hoping to produce some of the fine form that saw him top both points lists on the way to way to securing a second successive outing in the biennial contest at Whistling Straits.
The qualification process is slightly different this time out with only six automatic qualifiers comprising of the three leading players on the European Points List followed by the three leading players on the World Points List. European Captain Luke Donald will then select a further six Captain’s Picks to complete his 12-man team to face the United States at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club.
“I’ve said many times how important The Ryder Cup is to me,” said Rahm. “I talked to my dad the other day about, and if it wasn’t for the Ryder Cup, I probably wouldn’t be here because that’s the reason why he started playing golf; therefore why I started playing golf.
“So I believe The Ryder Cup is above all in my mind. It is the greatest marketing tool golf has, it’s one of the biggest sporting events, period, right.”
Two-time BMW PGA Championship winner Donald will have a watchful eye over those Europeans looking to make into his squad this week, but he knows full well what Rahm brings to the team – a fiery personality and eagerness to triumph – two standout traits of Ryder Cup greats.
Expect to see them on show this week as Rahm looks to get his Ryder Cup qualification off to a flyer.
What's in the bag
Swing Sequence
Drive It Like Rory McIlroy
Bryson DeChambeau’s Driver Swing
Related articles
Ewen Ferguson Leads In Dubai With Hot Finish
Fox Sports To Broadcast LIV Golf Worldwide
McIlroy’s Fairwell Praise For LIV Font Man Norman
