Just after finishing the Masters at Augusta in 2017, Jon Rahm decided that he needed to approach it completely differently. The sensation he had afterward, along with the stats, were clear indicators. His partial score of eight over par on the last three holes throughout the four days was proof that he had just slid past the finish line on empty. Something had to change, and it was back to the drawing board.
Thus, starting the Monday after the Masters, he began think about taking another route, to design a different plan of attack for Augusta. And he did indeed. He’ll be going into it much more rested. He has only played two weeks out of the past seven, and he’s been in the small city in Atlanta since last Tuesday. He went to play a few days of practice rounds, and he decided to stay with his good friend Wesley Bryan to avoid the exhausting journey of two flights back and forth.
Additionally, Jon has been training in a very specific way these past months. The goal was to strengthen the muscles connected to his hips. The idea was to get his abs and glute muscles stronger to have more power if needed. “I’m hitting the ball harder than last year”, he affirms.
Thus, theoretically Rahm will start the tournament better prepared than in 2017, a big step forward, no doubt, although it does not guarantee success. In any event, the reality is that Jon feels he’s in sync with Augusta. They are getting along well. The Spanish golfer is motivated by the demanding Masters course, mostly with the short game, and he’s eager to prove that his game will be able to adapt well to whatever the course in Atlanta might throw his way.
He’ll be in great company to take on the challenge. Coincidentally, he will be playing alongside Rory McIlroy again in the first two rounds, just like one year ago, and he’ll also be playing with Australian golfer, Adam Scott, one of the golfers who earned the bragging rights to having won a Green Jacket.