He’ll finish the year out with the highest of honors, with a very high caliber of golf, pulling birdies out of his sleeves, with round after round in the sixties like nothing, and always fighting for the win to the bitter end. In the Bahamas, in Tiger Woods’ tournament, he was not able to win, and the only motive was an unshakeable Henrik Stenson that crossed his path.

Rahm valiantly defended his title at the Albany Golf Club. He played four rounds under par, three under 70, and an accumulated total of -17. He finished in a solitary second place, just one shot away from Stenson, champion, among other reasons, because of a sublime 15th hole, a wood from the fairway, landing the ball at a hand’s length from the hole for eagle.

Jon had made a lot of progress prior to that hole in paving the way for the win. His sequence of birdie-eagle-birdie between the 14th and the 16th holes was fantastic. In fact, he left all other opponents without any options to win, except for Stenson. The Swedish golfer, by the way, before the shot on the 15th hole, had saved a few very delicate situations with the putter.

Rahm’s second place in the last tournament of the year marked the end to an outstanding sequence of first (Open de España), first (Dubai Final) and Second (Hero World Challenge) in his three most recent appearances. Additionally, after this final score, he firmly maintains his place as third in the world rankings. He closed out the year 2019 in the best possible way. “It’s been the best year of my career, without a doubt. I give it a nine out of 10”, he assured as he bid farewell to the Bahamas.

Jon’s next appearance will be of the nuptial kind. He’s getting married next Friday in Bilbao, in the Basilica of Begoña, to Kelley Cahill, his girlfriend since his time at Arizona State. The next tournament will be the first week of January, the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Hawaii.

La entrada Only an unshakeable Stenson could keep Jon Rahm from another victory for the books aparece primero en Jon Rahm.

His idol, next to the golfer who, each and everyday, got himself out to the course to practice, to improve, to be like him one day.

Rahm won the Hero World Challenge this Sunday with a memorable performance. Tiger Woods’ tournament is now Jon’s sixth win as a professional. It was epic. He started off on Thursday at half throttle, came close to perfection on Friday, and he moved way up on the scoreboard, took the lead on Saturday, and finished the job on Sunday with a legendary round. He shot a 70, 63, 69 and 65 for the victory, with a total of -20 and a four-shot advantage over Tony Finau. Crushed it.

It’s Rahm’s third win in 2018, along with the CareerBuilder, the second tournament he played this year, and the Open de España. And let’s not forget about the Ryder Cup, with the memorable win in the individuals against Tiger Woods. Rahm has completed two full years as a professional now, and has accumulated a total of three wins each year.

It’s also interesting to note the ease at which Jon stays in shape all twelve months of the year. He won in January, in April, in September and in December. It’s simply spectacular. Coincidentally, just like last year, the golfer from Barrika won the last tournament of the year. In 2017, it was the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, and this time it was Tiger’s tournament.

Jon’s performance this Sunday was magnificent. He drew up a plan, and followed it to a tee (no pun intended), razor focused and determined. His goal was to make birdies on all five par 5s, and on the two short par 4s, and he did, indeed. Made it look easy. Seven under par without fail, no slip-ups, like clockwork from tee to green, making for an extraordinary show with his long game. He didn’t even have to make long putts. It wasn’t necessary. His game was at such a high caliber that even Tony Finau and Henrik Stenson had to back down. Jon made it impossible for everyone.

Rahm went out in a big way this year. A year marked by his relationship with Tiger Woods. A very exciting year, with some outstanding victories. In short, outdoing himself, and making his way up on the charts every week. With this win under his belt in the Hero, he is now sixth in the world, just before taking some well-deserved vacation. It’s time to go home with family and friends. The next challenge will be the World Basketball Championship in Barrika. The Tournament of Champions in Hawaii can wait for now…

La entrada Jon crosses another goal off the list aparece primero en Jon Rahm.

Well, possibly, because Jon still has the thorn in his side from the two-person teams (fourballs), with Justin Rose and Ian Poulter, which he lost on Friday and Saturday.

Be that as it may, they always say the more difficult the goal, the more satisfying it is when you achieve it. It was tough for Jon to earn his first point in the Ryder Cup, but he did it in the best possible way on Sunday in the fourth game, after Europe wouldn’t have been able to win any of the first three, and against Tiger Woods, the legend, one of the best golfers of all time, if not the best.

Rahm won by 2 and 1 on the 17th hole. He was never behind on the scoreboard, although it was a tough duel. The golfer from Barrika won on the 1st hole, and from there he constantly dominated the game, until Tiger tied with an eagle on the 9th hole and a birdie on the 12th. Jon’s reaction in that delicate situation was extraordinary. He won the 13th and 14th consecutively, bringing Woods to a halt.

However, the best was yet to come. It was on the 17th hole. Rahm hits a sensational drive to the middle of the fairway, and a magnificent second shot. He sinks a putt for birdie from a meter and a half away for the finishing touch. Brilliant. He had a spectacular 17th hole, mostly because it happened after missing the short putt on the 16th hole, allowing Tiger to get back to one.

After landing a putt on the 17th, he broke out in tears after an emotional ending. All the pressure was lifted off his shoulders after a very tough week. An unforgettable week, with endless support from his entire family. Rahm has now made his debut in the Ryder. An experience he will never forget. The first of many. No doubt about that…

La entrada Rahm beats Tiger in the individuals and fulfills a lifelong dream aparece primero en Jon Rahm.