Jon Rahm On Unique ‘Souvenir’ From First Time As World No.1

It has become increasingly apparent that Jon Rahm is no ordinary player, particularly given his spectacular performances over the last few months, including four wins in his last seven tournaments.

However, after an intense four days of PGA Tour participation, he could surely be forgiven for taking it easy on the Sunday evening – even for a player who makes the game look as simple as he does.

That apparently wasn’t the case for the Spaniard after he reached the World No.1 position for the first time, though. Rahm achieved the feat following his victory in the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village on 19 July 2020 and was more than happy to reminisce on what happened next. Speaking to the media as he prepares for this week’s WM Phoenix Open, Rahm was asked if he had any souvenir to mark the momentous occasion. 

He answered: “No, I do. His name is Kepa. He's almost two years old. Sorry, Kelley, but yeah. She can tell you the story more than me. We suspect that it was that night. Sorry. “ Kepa, Rahm's first son, was born just days before The Masters the following year, on 3 April… around nine months after that special achievement - and the celebration that followed.

Rahm, of course, has been threatening a return to the World No.1 position for some time, and could get there again this week. He’s in with a great chance, too. As well as his incredible form, he is also a Scottsdale resident and Arizona State alum, and he explained the comforts of home are a big advantage. 

He said: “It's always good to stay at home for a tournament even though it's a little different, the dynamics we usually have, being in a hotel or not being in a hotel. That's the best part is just being comfortable. It's not like I'm overly having to try to learn the golf course or get familiar with the area. It's a lot easier, a lot less stress to deal with.”

With a fifth appearance as World No.1 potentially just days away, Rahm could well be celebrating again on Sunday. How? We’ll leave that to the imagination.