"I belong to be here"- When rookie Jon Rahm’s brilliance stole the show at the DP World Tour Championship

In November 2017, European Tour Rookie of the Year, Jon Rahm, announced himself on the big stage. He won the DP World Tour Championship on the final day of the season in Dubai. His victory was full of drama, as Justin Rose’s sudden loss of grip on the tournament made for a strange turn of events.

After that win, Rahm was full of emotions and said, via The Guardian:

“I don’t know if it shows anybody else or not, but it does prove to myself that I belong to be here. I belong on the European Tour and I belong on the PGA Tour.”

Rose looked solid on the final day, parring the 10th and 11th holes. But then, out of nowhere, he made his first bogey at the 12th—his first in 30 holes—after dumping his second shot into a greenside bunker and later flying the pin in an escape attempt.

Rose bogeyed again on the 14th, and his game began to unravel further. Meanwhile, Jon Rahm, who had started his third round with a bogey, bounced back with eight birdies for a seven-under 65, putting him at level with Hend, Reed, Paul Dunne, and Soren Kjeldsen.

Later, Rose bogeyed three of his final five holes, ensuring he missed out on the top-five finish he needed to win the Race to Dubai. This dramatic collapse allowed Rahm to emerge as one of the tournament leaders. In the end, he carded a final-round 67, finishing at 19 under, one shot ahead of Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Shane Lowry.

A feeling of accomplishment for Jon Rahm

After his spectacular performance, Jon Rahm shared his emotions with the media, via The Guardian:

“When you accomplish something in life, it’s always a great feeling. When you do something that you had in mind but wasn’t necessarily a goal for the end of the year—when you accomplish something you thought was years down the road—it’s just such an incredible feeling.

“It’s like when you have an errands list and finish two hours early; it’s a very similar feeling. It’s very, very special.”

Jon Rahm further added:

"I'm extremely honoured and humbled to add my name to the winners of this event. They are all great players—some of them European Tour legends—so it's just great to join them and get my chance to put my name on that great trophy."

Thanks to this spectacular performance, Jon Rahm also became a valuable addition to the European Ryder Cup team that competed in France the following year. What made the DP World Tour win even more special for him was that it marked his third professional victory—all three coming within 11 months.

That same year, Jon Rahm also had a superb season on the PGA Tour. He won his first title at the Farmers Insurance Open, further strengthening his case for a spot in the 2018 Ryder Cup, which was ultimately won by Team Europe.