Jon Rahm is competing this week at Bethpage in his second away Ryder Cup. In the first one, despite a remarkable performance alongside Sergio García, Europe lost. There’s no need to remind the man from Barrika how much he dislikes losing. Not even at marbles. This week he hopes it will be different. He is aware of the difficulty of the mountain to climb, but as you know, hope can move mountains. “A victory in the Ryder Cup away from home might not stand out much in a record, but personally, it would be very important, very special. It’s only been achieved four times. Only 37 Europeans have done it. It would be great,” he says.
The European team represents continuity from Rome 2023, and the guiding light has a name and surname. Jon Rahm doesn’t hesitate to stand at attention and honour the leader. His words about Rory McIlroy are priceless. Rahm is not one to easily grant the badge of a role model, but with the Northern Irishman, he has no doubt. He represents authority. He is the one pulling the cart. “Rory McIlroy is one of the best players we have in the world. In Paris, the first time I was there, there were still players in Europe with a lot of influence in the locker room, like Sergio or Poulter, but as the Ryder Cups have passed, especially in Rome, it changed. In Whistling, unfortunately, it wasn’t his week. He wasn’t playing his best golf, and that’s very difficult. But in Rome, Rory was Rory. He is the biggest name in Europe. The best player we have in Europe and undoubtedly the biggest presence. That’s his role now. He has gone from being an incredibly good player to a great Ryder player. Now I would say he is the cornerstone the team needs. It’s special to have him around. He’s a superstar. My respect for his game grows the more time I spend with him,” he says.
Rahm will play this Friday with Tyrrell Hatton in the foursomes. No one doubts it. He’s a fixture. This Thursday, he took the opportunity to share how his relationship has evolved, and it’s quite amusing. “In the Paris Ryder, we didn’t speak until Sunday. In total, we exchanged about 10 words all week. We were rookies and very quiet. In Whistling Straits, that changed a bit. We were paired. We had similar interests. We shared things in that sense and played with the same intensity, so they paired us for the first time, and we had a great time on the course. I think it all started with a birdie he made on the 18th to tie the match. Then, in Rome, I think that’s when our friendship really began, sharing those foursomes with him… He’s an incredible guy. I think he’s often misunderstood on the course. Off the course, he’s one of the funniest people you’ll meet, and he’s not afraid to laugh at himself. He competes the way he does, and I completely understand because my mindset is very similar. But the more I get to know him, the more I see what a great person he is: in how he treats the people around him, how he treats his wife. He’s a great human being,” he notes.
Rahm downplays the external pressure that fans might exert. He feels comfortable there. After all, he has a lot of experience in the stands of San Mamés and knows what can happen with a visitor. “There are really many things that amuse me. Fans can be very witty. It happened to me when I went to football. I laughed a lot and thought how could someone come up with that. If they’re funny things, it can be very entertaining. The Ozempic comment they made to me (“Where did you leave the Ozempic?”, a medication used in weight loss treatment) didn’t bother me. It’s funny. If I tell you what they said to Shane yesterday on the 17th… We laughed a lot. It’s fun. It’s a pleasure to play in front of them, and I’m really looking forward to it,” he points out.
Finally, regarding the tee on the 1st hole, Jon explains that he will always play the drive. “I will need a lot of help from the wind and for the course to be firmer to reach the green. But if I leave it close by, as there’s no rough, I think it’s fine. Without wind and with the course wet, I won’t make it. I think only Rory, Bryson, and Cameron Young would reach it in flight.”
