Jon Rahm (-10) finished in sixteenth place in the Waste Management Phoenix Open, PGA Tour tournament held this past Sunday at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona.
It was a very special week for the Spanish golfer. He was playing on his home course, right next to where he went to college at Arizona State University, and in the tournament where he made the first top ten of his career in the PGA Tour. Two years ago he finished in fifth place when he was an amateur. On top of that, he was coming off the win last Sunday in the Farmers Insurance Open, his first victory in the PGA Tour after a sensational finale.
Thus, this emotionally charged tournament was quite spectacular. It was a great challenge for the young golfer from Barrika. Safe to say he got an A on the exam. Jon would have liked to place higher and to have been in the fight for the win again on Sunday before all his fans, however the combination of the fatigue after his last win, the various appearances he had to make and a putt that wasn’t as spot-on as it was at Torrey Pines, set him back a bit.
Even so, the outcome was positive. Jon played all four rounds below par (70-69-65-70) and got a remarkable top 20 which moved him up four spots in the world rankings (42nd) and one in the FedEX Cup (5th).
He did, however make his mark in the tournament. Everyone is buzzing about those nine holes in the third round, the birdie on the 16th included. It was an outstanding tribute to golf. He got six birdies on the first eight holes leaving room to make his way into the fight for the win, although distant, for Sunday. It was a tremendous performance. Jon has already played 18 tournaments in the PGA Tour now between his career as an amateur and as a professional and has made ten top 20s.
Rahm will play in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am this week. Another epic course the Spanish golfer will set foot on. One of world golf’s finest.