“When things are going well, the golf gods decide to cut you some slack”

For many fans, the nightmare came to life Jon Rahm, world number onewinner of three contests this 2023 and one of the great favorites this week at The Players Championship (TPC)on the second and third days of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill in Orlando, may be strange or unexpected even considering the Basque’s excellent start to the season.

Two rounds of 76 strokes on Friday and Saturday, after signing a 65 (-7) on Thursday, when the winner reached 9 under par, collided. But this Tuesday, at Sawgrass TPC, in Ponte Vedra Beach (Florida)headquarters of considered ‘fifth’ Grand SlamBarrika’s didn’t give up and spoke clearly about Orlando’s ordeal.

“When things have been going on for so long, the golf gods decide to bring you down a little bit. I had two bad days, not three,” Rahm said in the press room. “No, it’s not that bad. At Bay Hill I hit five balls in the water, four on the tee, and almost all of them very close to dry land. So it’s very easy for me to think. that has to change. If removed he had most of those hits, we’d be talking about finishing near the top 20. If he played Riviera (he won the Genesis there) or Torrey Pines (once Farmers Insurance and in 2021 the US Open) or on another field, all those blows are at stake, I can control my game”, explained the champion in Spain, who took the steel from the two fatal rounds that prevented him from fighting for victory when, we repeat , on the first day he was seven under par , and champion Kurt Kitayama won with 9 under.

“We’re talking about a very difficult golf course (Bay Hill, and more there with the wind) that plays well, so if you’re not having your best day or you’re in your best moment, it will be difficult to get a sub-par result. These are the things that happen. It cost me… you know, I had to suffer that for a couple of days”, added the Biscayan, who highlighted his good finish to the tournament: “Sunday came and I finished the last seven holes really strong, 12-18. I’m very happy about that. So just keep going. Nothing to look at, really. It was a bad couple of days.”

“I had a chance, I hope there are others”

The Basque continued with his analysis of the situation: “For most of my career, anger has helped me a lot, but sometimes it has been a detriment and especially in some Grand Slams. So I keep learning little by little- little by little, it’s experience and maturity. These are life lessons. For me, it’s constant work. It’s something I have to deal with on the pitch almost constantly. It’s improving and I hope it will continue to do so,” he concluded.

Sawgrass TPC will be no small feat, and the Stadium Course route also holds its own. Rahm was especially motivated by the sawgrass quote. And he wants to be the second Spaniard to write his name on the trophy after that of Sergio García: “I had the chance to win The Players and I didn’t take it, so I want to have it again. It’s something very big because it’s a great tournament. I hope when I finish my career, I will be one of the players who can be called TPC champion.”