LIV GOLF ANDALUCíA

July 13, 2024

Jon Rahm

Real Club Valderrama

Legion XIII

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We are joined by captain of Legion XIII, Jon Rahm. You shot a 2-under today.

You're currently sitting at T-11 at even par. Tell us a little bit about your day.

JON RAHM: I feel like I'm falling victim like many others of just being Valderrama, right. Played such good golf. Played such a good round of golf both days. It's like two moments here and there that make a significant impact, right. Played great all day.

Had a great round going, and on 4, my last hole to, hit that drive and from there, put it in the water, is just a mistake that cost me a lot, right. That's basically two to four shots given away the last two days on par 5s by hitting it in the water. That's way too much here. It's hard to make it up.

But I mean, besides that, one really dark spot, everything else was fantastic. Played really good golf. Very comfortable off the tee and ball-striking-wise. I'm enjoying swinging very freely and very well, which it hadn't happened in back-to-back events or continuous events for actually quite a while. I've been playing with swing thoughts for a while and managing with it, and I can feel myself playing more freely and playing better golf. So at least I'm really happy with that.

THE MODERATOR: If you play a flawless round of golf tomorrow, do you think you have a chance?

JON RAHM: Anirban is at 7-under? If we have a day like today, I think 5-under is feasible, and obviously for the leaders to stumble a little bit as well. I need a very low one tomorrow to win but 18 holes is still a lot of golf to play out here.

THE MODERATOR: Last one from me.

Totally separate subject.

I saw a picture the other day of you as a young boy standing at a picket fence getting a signature from Henrik, and that picture, like, was very impactful to me, now knowing, you know, you are the celebrity here and all the people out here shouting for you, cheering for you. Do you remember that moment meeting Henrik? Can you just talk about that?

JON RAHM: Not only Henrik, there's a red signature on the top. That's Paul Casey.

THE MODERATOR: (Gasps.)

JON RAHM: It's a great story. It's my first-ever pro event. I came with my dad, I believe it was the Volvo Masters in 2007. Justin Rose won it. My first ever experience of watching a shot of professional golf was Thomas Björn who went on to be my Ryder Cup Captain. Rosey won the tournament. Went on to be my first-ever Ryder Cup partner, and then Paul Casey and Henrik, two of the players, ended up being teammates and vice captains in the Ryder Cup, right. So some people I've shared a long journey with where people were pressing on the first day.

Some of the signatures, I'm not sure. I think Nick Dougherty, Miguel Ángel Jiménez and a couple others. I was right up behind 18 green and they were all very gracious to stop by. It was, I remember, a windy, tricky day.

In the case of, I remember Paul, I think was playing with Nick Dougherty, they didn't have a really good day, and one of them finished poorly, and he still stopped and signed hats, right. So he made a lot of people very happy that day.

It's really cool to now reverse and be part of and be one of the ones signing. It's a very unique feeling, one of those dream come true moments that I get to experience that a lot of people never get to.

THE MODERATOR: Do you think the next Jon Rahm is out there and you're signing his hat today?

JON RAHM: I hope so. I hope so. It would be a true honor. But if I can somehow indirectly, not directly like that, but just by my impact in Spanish golf, if I can help the next great player rise up, it would be absolutely amazing.

THE MODERATOR: You are clearly beloved out here.

Q. What happened to that shirt? Do you still have it?

JON RAHM: Oh, the shirt. My parents -- I think my parents have it. I long overgrew that shirt, or outgrew the shirt. So I don't know. I think they still do. That is something my mom would definitely keep. So I think they have it.

Yeah, next time, if we play it next year, I should just bring it out.

THE MODERATOR: Put it in the golf museum.

JON RAHM: I should probably keep it here.

Q. Ban talked about how maybe it's more difficult for chasers with a four-shot lead -- chasing a four shoot lead out here at Valderrama versus other courses. Would you agree with that?

JON RAHM: Well, that should be the attitude he wants to have or he needs to have, right.

But as a chaser, if I was four shots back, I would be very comfortable because it's very easy to make a bogey out on this golf course. But holes like 1 and 2, if it's windy, like today's, you can make birdies, right.

So I feel like four shots can go away quickly out here. I think it was when Matt Fitzpatrick won the Andalucia Masters, I don't know what year it was, '19 or '20, I believe he was two or three shots back on 16 tee, and he had a margin going to his two putts on 18.

So yeah, I don't think you ever should be comfortable on this golf course with any lead to be honest. It's that difficult and it's that precise, and when you're chasing, you almost have the freedom to be aggressive because you have nothing to lose.

Q. Given Tyrrell's performance the last event, you're probably not surprised to see him be T-3 right now. He's playing so well?

JON RAHM: I'm not even surprised to see him play well. This is a tougher golf course that I think he would enjoy. It's not the longest, precision golf course, but he can fight around as good as anybody else. He's got great hands and great short game and he can flight the ball really well.

So yeah, I'm not surprised whatsoever that he's playing really good golf here.