The theory that one has to learn through a number of close calls and be patient to get their first professional golf win has been made completely redundant in the post-Tiger age, if we might call it that already, the wait between winning at the university level and on the main tours is far reduced from what it used to be previously.
Jon Rahm, a Spaniard who represented Arizona State in the NCAA Championships became the latest part of players to have won in their first full season on tour out of university. That list includes Jordan Spieth, Justin thomas, Daniel Berger and Emiliano Grillio, the latter being the oldest at the age of 24.
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Rahm, who turned 22 in November 2016, birdied the 17th hole on Sunday at the South Course of Torrey Pines, before pouring a 61-foot eagle putt from the back fringe on 18 to pull ahead of the field by 3 shots and eventually win the Farmers Insurance Open comfortably in only his 13th PGA Tour start as a professional.
TIm Mickelson, Phil Mickelson's brother, his coach at Arizona State and now his agent quashes any suggestions that this an early-career fluke, “Jon doesn't have weaknesses. Every part of his game is a strength. I think he's more than just a good young player. I think he's one of the top players in the world. There's an intangible that some guys have where they want to have the pressure, they want to be in that tough position, they want to have everything fall on their shoulders and he has that.”
Rahm sat at the pinnacle of amateur golf for 60 weeks occupying the No. 1 position in the World Amateur Golf Ranking before he left Arizona State. He used his limited exemptions to great effect last year and secured his card for the 2017 season by finishing in a tie for 2nd at the RBC Canadian Open and in a tie for third at the Quicken Loans National.
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On Sunday, he found himself three behind at the start of proceedings but defeated Charles Howell III and CT Pan of Taiwan by one courtesy of his seven-under par 65 which was also the low round of the day.
It was a close affair on a sunny, 70 degree day on the San Diego coast as seven players had at least a share of the lead at various points, including defending champion Brandt Snedeker and major champions Justin Rose and Keegan Bradley.
He validated Tim Mickelson's claim of Rahm being a big-moment player by pulling away from the chasing pack down the stretch and getting the job done."My heart was beating so fast that I just couldn't think," Rahm said. "[My caddie] gave me a couple pointers. I was really conscious about the speed. He just told me, 'Make sure you get it to the slope, the slope will do the rest.'
"Once we got a good aiming spot, I just aimed and hit it. And once it went in, I truly don't know what happened, honestly. I saw on TV what I did, but I can't believe it went in. It was one of those putts, one of those ;what if it goes in? What if this is to win the golf tournament?' I never thought it was going to be for eagle from 60 feet, especially at Torrey Pines 18th, but the fact that it went in is just incredible. The emotion just overwhelmed and I just expressed it out. But man, that was a satisfying feeling."
