LIV GOLF CHICAGO

September 15, 2024

Jon Rahm

Bolingbrook Golf Club

Legion XIII

Quick Quotes

Q. Your second win. You're the season-long champion, and playing alongside a guy you looked up to as a kid. How special is this moment for you?

JON RAHM: You know, today was a special day in many ways. I woke up really nervous today, as I thought I would, and even warming up, I told Adam, man, I'm nervous. But then I started thinking, playing with Sergio and Brooks, last time both me and Sergio played good, it was a good Sunday in Valderrama; Sergio ended up winning. Last time I went up against Brooks, he ended up beating me. I wanted to hopefully do a really good showing this time and maybe get it over the line.

Just really happy to have played as good as I did. To go bogey-free on the weekend, one bogey all tournament, it's quite spectacular. Very proud of how I played today, and very proud of that putt on 17, which made 18 a lot easier.

Q. I must ask, at the start of the round were you keeping a close eye on what Joaco was doing ahead of you?

JON RAHM: Well, he started with a birdie on 1 and a birdie on 3, so it was --

Q. So you were.

JON RAHM: It wasn't very difficult to keep an eye up because he was right up there on the leaderboard. I said yesterday in my presser, I like to know where I stand. I wasn't always looking directly, but anytime I saw the leaderboard it was very noticeable that his name was there, amongst many others because Tyrrell started great, Sergio was also on my heels. I'm glad that once I took that two-shot lead on 3, it never got any closer than that.

Q. Being a captain is so new to you; has it been challenging balancing the responsibilities of being a captain while trying to maintain a world-class golf game?

JON RAHM: Maybe early on. I wasn't quite sure how it was going to go, but I started playing good golf and getting used to what the requirements may be. It wasn't too big of an adjustment.

Then the second half of the season I think things took a very nice turn to the better. Things were already going well, and I kind of enjoyed a lot of good golf towards the end.

I found myself in a spot where I quite enjoy being the captain and have somebody asking me for advice and kind of leading them in a direction that I think might be best for them, and it's something that I enjoy. I like giving advice. I think when you're giving advice in any situation, you're almost reinforcing a lesson within yourself. It's been a lot of fun.

Plus it's always a little easier to be a captain and play good when the team is playing as good as we have this year. Hopefully can keep this going and get it done next week.

Q. You said at the start of the week Rafa Nadal has always advised you to celebrate every victory. How are you going to celebrate this one?

JON RAHM: Well, I'm flying home tonight because we know the baby can come anytime. I'm going to enjoy it on the flight, and being able to sleep in my own bed next to my wife tonight is all I need.

But yeah, I'll definitely enjoy it Monday morning maybe while seeing some of my friends at home and just with the family. I think the biggest celebration I can have is the fact that I get to drive my kids to school tomorrow morning, and I think that's going to be a joy more than anything else.