Jon Rahm: "My son gives me a lot of calm that I didn’t have before"

Jon Rahm does not reach Masters as No. 1 in the world but he makes it to four consecutive top 10 finishes in this tournament (the longest streak of an active golfer) and has 5 consecutive top 10 finishes in the ‘big ones’ (the longest streak of a person still active). MD had the opportunity to chat for a few precious minutes with the Barrika man, calm but eager to start the competition in Augusta.

Do you think taking the Masters without you being the number one in the world helps you to lose pressure this week?

It doesn’t matter to me … first, third or fourth, nothing will change. Man, I first got to the US Open and it went well for me … (laughs), but the fact that people are betting on me has nothing to do with it, I’m always going to do my best and it does’ do not increase or remove the pressure on me. .

Have you ever been able to train at your club in Arizona with vegetables like these?

Well, one thing yes, what happens is that it’s not the same grass and the vegetables aren’t the same … there aren’t the same slopes there as here. Yes, they quickly put them on me, but it’s hard to fold a green hole 1 here … or 2 … or any of them. Yes you can pick up hitting in terms of speed, but it’s not the same. And now it looks like it’s raining. My friend is the owner of my club [Silverleaf Country Club], I have their name on the bag, and yes they have tried to put them on me as quickly as possible … pero ang nangyari iba ang damo. There’s a bermudagrass base in both, but it’s there in Ryegrass and in Augusta we have Bengrass and eventually it rolls differently. In any case, Augusta is a course you should remember rather than practice it … the few times I’ve played it, what helps me the most is remembering the sensations I’ve experienced. I think you can put some of the best putters in history, like Ben Crenshaw or Jordan Spieth or many others like Tiger, and without playing a single putt, drop them on Thursday and mag -tee off and they’ll probably still do very well. . Memory is great.

Did you highlight any moments you had specifically in this field?

In general, shots, sensations … I don’t know, maybe last round of -6 last year, very beautiful, with wind and hard vegetables … 2018 was also when I was fourth; I shot a 6-iron on the 15th hole, when I had a chance to win, and I went down into the water. If not for that bogey, he would have won the tournament. But the other day I made a very good -7, so I’ll take that too.

What are the most complex shots in Augusta?

It’s very personal. The 12th hole is always hard, depending on the wind. Lots of hard. The tee shot at hole 7 is possibly one of the most complicated. No one speaks about him. The 18 now with a longer tee is narrower. You can’t cover the corner too much. The 17th tee because it looks wider than it really is. You have 10 yards of fairway to hit the fairway and you can’t hit fade because there are trees on the left so you have to draw. If you miss a yard you have trees in the way of the second shot. 10 off the tee is very hard … Lots of hard. If the day is windy, I would say the hardest is 12 just because of the eddies. You can hit the right shot and still bad luck.

After winning the US Open, you talked about the comfort of winning the first major. Do you think this is the tournament with the most glory or epic?

For me, as a European, this is the Open. Especially this year, it’s the oldest tournament and mainly in Saint Andrews, where golf started … but the tradition of the Masters, the course and the event makes it a unique tournament. The fact that you park where the champions go, you go to their locker room … you have a champions ’dinner … everyone makes it a very special heritage. There are a few comparable tournaments: maybe this year’s Open in Saint Andrews, a US Open in Pebble Beach … but few others. In fact, despite being the champion, I don’t think the US Open can reach this caliber, really …

Last year you just came here you just became a father and you said what changed your life. Do you think this change you mentioned has also changed you as a player?

I don’t know … I don’t know if I’ve changed the pitch, but off it for sure. Whether I play well or badly, now I will go home and when Kepa sees me he just wants me to play with him … I am his father and he has needs. And that helps, the truth is when you were at the tournament and I went home to the hotel and he was there, one time I forgot where I was… it was a joy without comparison. And it also gives me a lot of calm that I didn’t have before.

How do you rate Scottie Scheffler’s rise to number one?

Fully deserving, he won three tournaments in five weeks and you can’t blame him. But it’s not that I feel relieved or what … but I hope I win this week and be number one again with him and that’s it.

How many rounds of training will you do before the tournament?

I come on Sunday and I play nine holes every day (Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday), so I do 27 holes.

And have you ever encountered a Tiger at one point?

No, I haven’t seen him and I haven’t talked to him either … the closest I’ve been to right now, he’s presscon right after mine (laughs), but he’s in “Tiger mode” … he doesn’t speak (laughs) ).