Jon Rahm returns after a year of absence to the BMW PGA Championship and this is no small matter. He has three participations at Wentworth with two second places, a fourth, and an average score over eleven rounds of 67.54 (one was suspended due to the passing of the Queen of England). No joke. It’s one of his gardens. It’s true he hasn’t won yet, but that’s the only thing missing. He feels comfortable on these London fairways that make you think, shape shots, choose different clubs… In short, they somewhat remind him of his courses in the north.
Rahm arrives at the BMW with the firm and healthy intention of winning. It’s undeniable that much of this week’s information revolves around the Ryder Cup, but the Basque wants to end the 2025 victory drought and better this Sunday than later. “I think it’s been a successful season no matter what happens. My average in LIV has been a fifth place, I’ve finished second four times, I’ve played two playoffs, and I think I’ve done well in the Majors. It’s disappointing not to win, but I think it’s been a good year. Luckily, I still have chances to win this year. I really like this period of the season, I don’t know if it’s because the Majors have passed and everything looks different, but I usually do well at Wentworth, in the Spanish Open, in Ireland… It’s a fun part,” he says. In this sense, he has almost hinted that next year he will return to the Irish Open. “I love Ireland, I’ve had success there, I’ve had a good time, I love the Irish crowd and I want to find a way to fit it back into the calendar,” he says. This year he could have played it, but he preferred to rest for two weeks after finishing the LIV season.
As we say, everything revolves around the Ryder Cup and in Jon’s case, who confirmed that there will be a team dinner in London tonight, an important point is the fines hanging over his head and which are pending legal resolution. The golfer from Barrika has assured that it was a matter he had erased from his mind. Regarding when the final ruling will be, Jon pointed out: “I know the same as you. I have no idea. I have no clue. To be honest, I’ve completely forgotten about it, which is a good thing. I hope to forget until it happens,” he explains.
Rahm doesn’t want to know anything about the fines, which he always considered unfair and has never been willing to face, at least not in full, so he hopes to reach a definitive agreement sooner rather than later. “I hope so. That’s my goal. I want to be part of that team,” he points out. When we talk about a definitive agreement, we mean that one way or another the DP World Tour ends this type of punishment for LIV Golf players. However, we will have to see what happens and how those who have already paid their penalties are compensated if that solution is reached. Let’s not forget that LIV Golf has already leaked that they will not take responsibility for these financial penalties in the future.
Beyond the fines, Rahm reveals that he has not yet spoken with Luke Donald about his possible partners in the Ryder Cup. If he had, which is quite likely, he wouldn’t say so. The name of Rasmus Hojgaard, Nicolai’s brother, with whom he shared fourballs in Rome two years ago, floats in the air. “I haven’t talked to Luke about who I can or can’t play with. However, the twins’ personalities are very different. Both are fantastic players. It will be great to join forces with anyone on the team. But it would be fun. Nicolai did very well. He completely carried me on the first nine holes on Friday. Sorry, Rasmus, if you have to carry me for nine holes,” he notes.
Of course, in his pre-BMW PGA Championship appearance, the Basque also spoke about Sergio García’s absence from the Ryder. Rahm declares himself partial in this matter, as he would always include him in his team, but adds an important nuance visible to all about the performance of the Castellon native. “My heart will always say yes to having Sergio on the team, of course. He’s a good friend of mine, he’s Spanish, and the moments we shared at Whistling and Paris… I will always want to have him close. He played well at the beginning of the year, very, very well. It feels like, since April, he hasn’t maintained that level. So I don’t think he helped himself. I understand that while we’re not adding points, we have to present a really solid track record to be chosen. If he had maintained that level, he could have been on the team, but he didn’t play as well as he could have. Subjectively, I will always support him.”
Another of Jon’s objectives this week will be to gather enough points to secure his presence in the Dubai Final, a tournament he wishes to play this year, but for which he must qualify by getting into the top 50 of the Race to Dubai. Right now, he occupies the 62nd position, just ahead of Rafa Cabrera Bello, but he doesn’t have many more options to add, beyond the Spanish Open.
