Jon Rahm has never hidden that it is one of the shots that has given him the most headaches at the Masters. We are talking about the tee shot on the 10th hole at Augusta National, a par 4 that turns sharply to the left. The natural shot demanded by that tee is a draw, a right-to-left shot for right-handers, a shot that the man from Barrika can obviously execute perfectly, although it is not comfortable for him. He is a fade player. Power fade to be precise. In fact, he ended up sitting in a lab with the people from Callaway to design the perfect 3-wood to hit that shot at Augusta.
That’s why, when he was told yesterday, Monday, that something had changed on that 10th hole and that it might even be possible to play a fade from the tee, the 2023 Masters champion had a smile on his face. However, he doesn’t quite believe it and prefers to say it quietly, just in case Augusta takes action. “I’ve been told about some new things this year because of the trees that have fallen. I’m not going to say who (maybe DeChambeau?), but someone told me that now you can hit a high fade over the houses on the 10th hole. I don’t believe it,” he confessed today, Tuesday, with laughter.
Beyond what Jon has been told, the reality is that Schauffele confirmed it this very Monday. The World Number 3 has seen a gap and you can go through there, to the left of the tee, although it carries its risks. It will be one of the major points of interest in this Masters. Who will dare? Although perhaps the first question is: will there still be a gap on Thursday when the tournament starts? Rahm is not entirely convinced. “I don’t think enough trees have fallen for that fade shot to be possible. Besides, after saying this, I’m sure there will be a tree right there tomorrow,” he explained, also laughing.
Jon has confessed for the first time what was evident last year in Augusta. He wasn’t comfortable all week. The pressure of defending the title, the champions’ dinner, and everything that was set up for his departure to Jon Rahm, this Tuesday in Augusta, ended up taking its toll. After all, it was the first time he saw all the players after his decision to leave the PGA Tour. “Yes, everything that happened was a big change. Sometimes there were many questions for which I had no answer. Like what Doug asked earlier about the state of golf… we don’t know. We all want a solution, but it’s hard to give one. Last year was tough, it was my first major after joining LIV and I was also defending the title. A lot of new things: different locker room, the Champions Dinner… many things to adapt to. There were also negative comments or tricky questions, but nothing that other athletes don’t experience every day. If you watch LeBron James‘s conferences, it seems like they always want to catch him out. I don’t envy him,” he assures.
Adjustments in the swing with the new driver shaft
This year he arrives much calmer, with his whole family, Kelley and the three children, and finishing fine-tuning some adjustments in the swing to which he is not yet one hundred percent adapted. “Basically, it took me a long time to change the driver shaft. That’s the root of the problem. Before switching to a shaft that suited my club speed better, I was making a series of compensations in the swing. Now, with the new shaft, I’m getting more comfortable, but from time to time those compensations come back. That’s why last year my ball from the tee went to the left more often than I wanted. But it’s happening less and less. I’m playing well and I feel calm. My game is better than the results suggest,” he concludes.
Jon is not sure that the agreement between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf is close, although he remains very supportive. “As we can all see, it doesn’t seem like it’s going to happen soon. This week I prefer to focus only on the Masters and think about everything else afterward,” he points out. He again remembered Seve as the great inspiration and joked about not coming to play before Masters week. “It’s the ninth time I’ve come and this is the second time I haven’t come before to play Augusta to see the course. The other time was in 2023 (when I won). But I clarify, it’s not due to any superstition. Simply this year I couldn’t come. However, if I win this year, it’s possible I might never come before the tournament to play Augusta again,” he says with laughter.
“He’s a great player and a wonderful person”
Finally, he had words of praise for Josele Ballester. “I’ve played quite a bit with Josele at ASU, and he’s very close to David Puig, with whom I also spend a lot of time. The three of us are from ASU. It’s hard to describe his game without saying it’s very powerful. He has a ball speed of 190 just waking up in the morning. With two Olympic parents, he has all the athletic genes to succeed in this sport and a lot of talent. He’s a great player. But in the end, it all comes down to whether you can mentally handle the pressure and seize the opportunities when they come. He has everything to be in this game for a long time. And I can’t help but say it: he’s a wonderful person. Very kind, empathetic, which is unusual for someone 20 years old in college. It’s very pleasant to be with him. He’s a very fun player.”
