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A18 SPORTS
Wednesday 29 March 2017

Jon Rahm just getting started and already rolling

DOUG FERGUSON tory for Johnson. Rahm was a top-10 player
AP Golf Writer It was the third straight top even before the 22-year-
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Jon 5 for Rahm. old rookie won a tourna-
Rahm can be an imposing “He’s hungry. He wants ment, and Lefty looks like a
figure without a golf club in more. He wants a major,” prophet.
his hand. Haas said before losing to Mickelson has a vested in-
Even when his audience is Rahm, 3 and 2, in the semi- terest, of course. His young-
Jack Nicklaus. finals. “You can just see it er brother, Tim Mickelson,
Nine months ago, Rahm in him. He’s got that thing was Rahm’s coach at Ari-
was dressed in a coat-and- about him that’s going to zona State and now is his
tie to receive the Jack Nick- make him a big-time win- manager. Lefty has played
laus Award as the top col- ner out here.” enough money games with
lege golfer. He stood tall, Rahm’s record matches Rahm that he wants the kid
showing respect, and held the early hype. as his partner.
his eye contact as Nicklaus Five days after the U.S. Rahm would have gone
talked to him about how to Open, Rahm was tied to No. 10 in the world if he
prepare for the U.S. Open for the 36-hole lead in his had beaten Johnson in the
at Oakmont. professional debut at the championship match. In-
That was Rahm’s last tour- Quicken Loans National. stead, he reached No. 14 in
nament as an amateur. He tied for fourth. A month the world in just 19 tourna-
Facing the tougher side of later, he closed with a 67 at ments, four of them when
the draw, he opened with the Canadian Open and he was still an amateur.
a 76 at Oakmont and was finished one shot behind “He’s been out on tour for
10 shots behind. There was Jhonattan Vegas (as did seven months and his divisor
little reason to pay close Dustin Johnson). is the same for a two-year
attention to him the rest of It took him four majors to divisor,” Mickelson said, re-
the way, though the young lock up a PGA Tour card ferring to the world rank-
Spaniard showed just how without ever having to go ing formula. “If you divide
much fight he has in his through any form of quali- it by the actual number of
game. By the end of the fying school.
week, Rahm was the only And now consider his last events he’s played, he’s in
amateur to make the cut Jon Rahm of Spain watches his drive on the sixth hole during two months. the top 10 in the world. He
and tied for 23rd. semifinal play at the Dell Technologies Match Play golf tourna- He made two eagles over continues to validate that
It’s hard not to watch him ment at Austin County Club, Sunday, March 26, 2017, in Austin, the last six holes at Torrey with some incredible play.
now. Texas. Pines, the last one a 60-foot- He’s a real threat.”
“He’s special. He’s going Associated Press er from behind the 18th Johnson can attest to that.
to be good for the game,” Eight more majors are still The latest example was green, for his first PGA Tour When he was 4 up with six
Tom Kite said as he followed to be played before the Sunday at Match Play. victory. Two weeks later, he to play, Johnson did little
Rahm and Bill Haas in their next Ryder Cup in France, Rahm was 4 down after six fought back from a 73 in wrong. He didn’t throw
semifinal match at the Dell and Rahm already is being holes, 5 down after eight the opening round to finish away any holes. He just
Technologies Match Play. looked upon as Europe’s holes and 4 down after 67-67-68 and tie for fifth at watched Rahm blast a
Kite paused for a moment greatest addition to the 12 holes. And he still took Pebble Beach. And then at driver over the water and
before adding with a smile, lineup since a curly-haired, Dustin Johnson to the 18th the Mexico Championship, onto the 13th green, stuff a
“Except at the Ryder Cup.” 21-year-old from Northern hole before the 22-year-old Rahm quickly turned a four- wedge to 4 feet for birdie,
That might be the ultimate Ireland named Rory McIl- rookie ran out of birdies. shot deficit into a one-shot and then hit a daring shot
measure of Rahm. roy. It was the third straight vic- lead with an eagle and through the trees and hole
The Masters is in two weeks. two birdies. A pair of three- a 30-foot birdie putt.
putts at the end gave him Needing birdie on the 18th,
a tie for fourth as Johnson Rahm hit a 382-yard tee
won in his debut at No. 1 in shot that went over the
the world. green. He chipped short,
Patrick Reed declared him- putted long, made par and
self to be top 5 in the world was runner-up.
when he won a World Golf “He’s going to be a good
Championship at Doral player for a long time,”
three years ago, and ev- Johnson said.
eryone snickered (Reed still The Ryder Cup is still anoth-
budgetaruba@setarnet.aw hasn’t reached higher than er year away. How much
No. 7). Phil Mickelson said better by then?q