LIV Golf star Jon Rahm returns to Augusta for Masters title defence facing major questions
Jon Rahm returns to August with things looking very differently for the Spaniard than they did 12 months ago, when he fought back from an opening four-putt double bogey to claim victory
What a difference a year makes.
Twelve months ago Jon Rahm headed to Augusta National as the winner of three of his first eight tournaments of the year, started with a four-putt double bogey and still went on to win the Masters.
One year on, Rahm will make the drive down Magnolia Lane as a member of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf League and with just five of their 54-hole events under his belt before defending his title. The change is all the more startling given Rahm’s previous publicly stated opinions on LIV’s format and his claim that he played golf to win titles, not money, claims reinforced by his comments immediately after slipping on the green jacket.
Rahm dedicated his triumph to Seve Ballesteros after claiming his second major title on the 40th anniversary of his late idol’s second win at Augusta National, a win which also came on what would have been Ballesteros’ 66th birthday.
“History of the game is a big part of why I play and one of the reasons why I play, and Seve being one of them,” said Rahm, whose father took up golf after watching Ballesteros captain Europe to victory in the 1997 Ryder Cup at Valderrama.
“If it wasn’t for that Ryder Cup in ’97, my dad and I talk about it all the time, we don’t know where I would be or where as a family we would be.
“For me to get it done on the 40th anniversary of his win, his birthday, on Easter Sunday, it’s incredibly meaningful.”
Rahm knew that his victory had brought him halfway towards achieving a career grand slam, putting him in the company of legends like Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods who are the only players to have won all four majors.
Joining LIV does not have an immediate effect on Rahm’s ability to achieve his goal, as his Masters victory has already earned him a lifetime exemption for Augusta and five-year exemptions for the US PGA and Open Championship.
The 29-year-old had already secured a spot to participate in the US Open until 2031 following his win at Torrey Pines, but it is yet to be seen if his performance will be impacted by the change to LIV.
