MADRID – Jon Rahm returns to action at his home tournament in Spain after what he considered the mentally toughest week of his career at the Ryder Cup in New York.
Rahm is in Madrid to try to win a record fourth Spanish Open title and surpass Seve Ballesteros as the tournament’s most successful golfer since the European tour was founded in 1972.
Rahm helped Europe win the Ryder Cup in the United States two weeks ago, as the raucous home crowd tormented the European players from the start.
“That week in New York was mentally the toughest week of my career, but at the same time it was the most fun I had,” he said on Tuesday. “What happened there those three days was something inhospitable. Sometimes I couldn’t believe it.”
Rahm worked with Tyrrell Hatton at Bethpage Black and they were some of the most targeted Europeans by the New York audience.
Rahm said he heard it all from the American fans and that “because alcohol was sold (very early), things got out of hand by 9am.”
“You could compare it to football, but then you have the noise of 50,000 people and you don’t really hear what everyone is saying,” Rahm said. “In my case, I could hear everything with every step I took.”
Rahm said the outcome could not have been better as Europe emerged victorious and retained the trophy won in Rome two years ago.
“It will be hard to top that week, possibly in the 2031 Ryder here in Spain, which will be more special for me than anyone else,” Rahm said.
Rahm makes his seventh appearance in Madrid, with his victories in 2018, 2019 and 2022. Last year he finished second in the play-offs to compatriot Ángel Hidalgo.
Ballesteros won the last of his 50 titles on the European tour at the 1995 Spanish Open.
It will be the first time that the tournament will automatically offer the winner a place in next year’s Masters and The Open.
“I’m very proud of that,” said Sergio Garcia, another favorite of the home crowd. “It kind of shows the quality of the field we have this week.”
Rahm and Garcia, the 2002 winner in Spain, are among the LIV players in the field.
Also playing this week are Patrick Reed, Joaquin Niemann and Shane Lowry, who made the cup-keeping putt for Europe in the Ryder Cup.
This is also the 50th anniversary of golfing great Arnold Palmer who won the tournament in 1975.
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