Get Instant News Updates
Enable
x
Notification Settings X
Time Settings
Done
Clear Notification X
Do you want to clear all the notifications from your inbox?
Settings X
For Quick Alerts
ALLOW NOTIFICATIONS  
For Daily Alerts

Rahm honoured to join Ballesteros after claiming top ranking

Jon Rahm said it was a "true honour" to join Seve Ballesteros as the only Spaniards to become world number one.

By Dejan Kalinic
Jon Rahm

Dublin (USA), July 20: Jon Rahm said it was a "true honour" to join Seve Ballesteros as the only Spaniards to become world number one.

Rahm clinched a three-stroke victory at the Memorial Tournament on Sunday (July 19) to go top of the world rankings.

The 25-year-old was honoured to achieve the feat, with the great Ballesteros having been the only Spaniard to manage it before Rahm.

"I don't know how to describe it. It's been a goal since I was 13, 14 years old," Rahm told a news conference after surpassing Rory McIlroy as number one.

"I remember I heard a story on the radio from my swing coach back in Spain, Eduardo Celles. We were driving somewhere and he asked me what my goals were and my ambitions and this and that, and I remember telling him, I think 13 or 14 years old, it's like, 'I'm going to be the best player in the world', and that's what I set out to be.

"Every day I wake up trying to be a better player, a better person, every single day, a better husband, and that's how I can sum it up.

"Any time I can join my name to Spanish history or any kind of history, it's very unique. Seve is a very special player to all of us, and to be second to him, it's a true honour."

While Rahm was in control for most of the final round at Muirfield Village, there was controversy late in the tournament.

He chipped in from the rough for birdie at 16, but was later assessed a two-stroke penalty after it was ruled his ball had moved.

Rahm accepted his penalty, saying: "I didn't see it. I promised open honesty and I'm a loyal person, and I don't want to win by cheating.

"And it kind of happened a couple years ago, I basically told the officials to make the decision they wanted, I just explained my side and I wasn't given any penalty. And today I see it, and the ball did move. It's as simple as that.

"The rules of golf are clear. Had I seen it, I would have said something. But you have to zoom in the camera to be able to see something, and I have rough, I'm looking at my landing spot. I'm not really thinking of looking at the golf ball. I'm one of those where I'm looking down but my awareness is not on the ball.

"As unfortunate as it is to have this happen, it was a great shot, serious. What it goes to show is you never know what's going to happen. I'm glad I grinded those last two up-and-downs because had I missed both of them, plus the penalty stroke, maybe Ryan [Palmer] finishes strong, I would be in a play-off, and I'm glad I finished it off good.

"I want everybody to hear it – it did move. It is a penalty. As hard as it is to say for how great of a shot it was – as hard as it is to say that, I won't finish double digits under par. But it did move, so I'll accept the penalty, and it still doesn't change the outcome of the tournament. I'm going to stay with that."

Story first published: Monday, July 20, 2020, 10:22 [IST]
Other articles published on Jul 20, 2020