McIlroy-Rahm, two European and world leaders, face each other in Phoenix

Starting this Thursday, the TPC of Scottsdale, Arizonafive minutes drive from the house where he lives Jon Rahm, 18 of the top 20 players (only Will Zalatoris and Cameron Smith will be missing) from the Official World Golf Ranking (OGWR) argue the PGA Tour Phoenix Open (Movistar Golf).

The last time an official tournament -outside of the ‘majors’, the TPC, a WGC World Cup or a Fedex Playoff- had so many players in the world’s top 20 was the 2007 Wells Fargo Championship. Just nine years ago, only four of the top 20 players in the OWGR played this tournament in Stadium Coursefamous for stadium-type par 3s.

But since it was one of the 20 ‘designated’ (elevated) events of the American circuit, everything changed. Today’s two strongest players top the list of superstars: Rory McIlroy, world number 1, and Jon Rahm, nº3. The European duo has amassed nine wins and 32 top-10s since early 2022. This is McIlroy’s second appearance at the WM Phoenix Open, while Rahm has competed here seven times, finishing in the top-20 each time.

McIlroy last week won his only tournament of 2023, the DP World Tour’s Dubai Desert Classic. For his part, Rahm won the Tournament of Champions in January and later The American Express.

If we go back to the end of 2022, they both reaped similar results on the field. In his last eight tournaments, McIlroy has won three and Rahm four. And they both went all three with a victory for each: McIlroy took the CJ Cup, Rahm the DP World Tour Championship.

Since the Basque made his amateur debut here in 2015, Rahm ranks second among all players in scoring relative to par: 80-under. Two weeks ago, Rahm came out on the final day at Torrey Pines looking for his third straight win and a top-ten finish. McIlroy has won his past two official PGA Tour events, the Tour Championship and the CJ Cup. Rory is one of five players since 1997 to win three consecutive starts on the USA tour; In 2014 when he consecutively won the British Open, Bridgestone World Cup and PGA.

McIlroy and Rahm are, on the other hand, the main defenders of traditional circuits against the ‘invasion’ of petrodollars in the form of Arab Super League (LIV Golf) and now they are also true European team leaders ahead of the Ryder Cup in Rome. The last time a European team fielded a team with the number 1 and number 2 players in the world was in 1991, when Ian Woosnam and Txema Olazabal They topped the world rankings. Less than eight months before the big event of Marco SimoneIt looks like it will equal Europe on this world list record.

The Phoenix Open, the first ‘elevated’ category tournament of the season and will be distributed 20 million dollars in prizesyou will also see the fight between Rory, Jon and scottie scheffler for Number One in the world ranking. Rahm has two mathematical options to return to the top. The first, to win this Phoenix Open and for McIlroy to finish tied for second with two players or worse. Second, just be second and McIlroy finishes tied for 47th with one other player or worse and not Scottie Scheffler (defending champion to be exact) the winner.

Jon was surrounded by his entire family this week. “It’s very special and very comfortable. You live at home, you sleep in your bed, the kids are more comfortable, I know the restaurants, they take care of me, I have a lot of friends around me… I would love to win this week. I have managed to win in Spain and this would be the more similar in the United States. I hope on Sunday he will give me a chance, although it is not easy. This is one of the tournaments I want to win”, said Basque at the official press conference.

Rahm arrives at TPC Scottsdale in great form. “I feel very comfortable with my swing, I like to play in the desert, although this course is a bit narrower than others. The key is to put the ball on the fairway. If you succeed, you can give yourself a lot options. You have to do few. I hope I can get it and, if not, already in a week that I am in seventh position, it will continue my bad week”, he added.

The one from Barrika will play in the first round which includes a match against the Americans Max Homa and Keegan Bradley. It starts this Thursday at 8:44 pm (Spanish peninsular time, eight hours ahead of Arizona) from the 1 tee. On Friday they will play from 10 tee in the morning in Phoenix, 3:48 pm in our country.

The tournament can be followed on Thursday and Friday from 3:15 pm to 9:30 pm in the original version and from 9:30 pm to 1:30 am with a narrated signal on Movistar Golf. On Saturday: 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm VO and from 8:30 pm to 12:30 am with narrated signal and on Sunday: 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm