Jon Rahm, You Have Our Attention at The Open

Ever since his move to LIV, Jon Rahm has become golf’s forgotten man. Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, and Xander Schauffele have dominated since his departure, winning a combined five of the last seven major championships. And the only player who's been able to stay front-of-mind since moving to the Saudi-backed circuit is Bryson DeChambeau, and he’s needed a major title and YouTube channel to do that.

But after a tough year in the majors in 2024, the Spainaird has once again started to make some noise in the game’s biggest events. He tied for 14th at the Masters in April, for eighth at the PGA Championship, and last month, he grabbed a share of seventh at Oakmont.

And now it’s time for The Open, arguably Rahm’s best major.

Sure, he’s yet to hoist the Claret Jug as the Champion Golfer of the Year, but Rahm loves him some links golf. Since a missed cut at Carnoustie in 2018, Rahm has finished T-11 (Royal Portrush, 2019), T-3 (Royal St. George’s, 2021), T-34 (St. Andrews, 2022), T-2 (Royal Liverpool, 2023), and T-7 (Royal Troon, 2024), in his last five trips the golf’s original championship.

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During his pre-tournament press conference at Royal Portrush on Tuesday, he didn’t shy away from his thoughts on The Open and what it means to the game.

“In my opinion, The Open Championship is the most prestigious event you can win in golf,” Rahm said. “For my understanding of the game and the history of the game, I think the Claret Jug is the most special one. There's an order to it, too, because it changes venues, so if you can win it in St Andrews, I don't think anything in golf can come close to that. Obviously, there's different ones that have a lot of significance as well."

“The Open to me, I think that's what it is. It's the home of golf. Golf started in this part of the world. It's the oldest championship we have, and that's what makes it so special—the type of golf we play, the links courses where in theory is meant to be played, the elements, the weather, it's quite unique. I don't think there's a word to describe it, but all together it's what makes it so special.”

If he were to win come Sunday, he’d be the first Spaniard since Seve Ballesteros in 1988 at Royal Lytham & St. Annes to win The Open. But not only would he be the first from his country in nearly 40 years to earn the Claret Jug, he’d be a PGA Championship win away from the Career Grand Slam.

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Only six players in history have ever done it, including McIlroy earlier this year at the Masters. Rahm would join Jordan Spieth in needing a PGA title to complete it. Fellow LIV member Phil Mickelson is a U.S. Open win away from the honor.

When you talk about career-altering wins, this week would be just that for Rahm.

He enters in great form, fresh off a solo-second finish at LIV’s Spain stop, has played incredible golf in the majors this season, and grabbed a share of 11th the last time Portrush hosted The Open.

It feels inevitable that he’ll be part of the conversation come the weekend, but it’ll boil down to if he can get it across the finish line.

So, Mr. Jon Rahm, you’ll have our attention in Northern Ireland this week.