Jon Rahm: Inside the Spaniard’s Rapid Rise to Fame

At just 22, Jon Rahm has already established himself as one of the best players in golf. But how did he get here?

Just how good is Jon Rahm? Well, his game has already received the approval of at least one major champion.

At just 22 years of age, Rahm has already established himself as one of the most exciting players on the PGA Tour. With the help of some booming drives and outstanding ball striking, he’s ridden a recent hot streak all the way up to the No. 25 spot in the Official World Golf Ranking. That makes him the game’s second-ranked Spaniard, ahead of even 2016 Ryder Cupper Rafa Cabrera-Bello.

At this rate, there’s no telling where Rahm will end up by the end of the year. Sergio Garcia should watch his back, because the young man with the short name and the big game looks poised to keep it going.

Every so often, we witness a player, often a former top-ranked amateur, who can attain immediate success in the pro ranks and quickly entrench himself as one of the game’s marquee players. This is a pretty illustrious group we’re talking about here — guys like Mickelson, Tiger Woods and, more recently, Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler and Jordan Spieth. Even high-achieving juniors like Jason Day and Patrick Reed needed some time to adjust to touring life before reaching liftoff.

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Not Rahm. The Arizona State product has made all of 20 PGA Tour starts in his career and already looks every bit as impressive as the above names did when they were first coming up. The question is: how did he get here?

US Collegiate Career

After an inauspicious start to his time in the United States — he spoke only broken English and required a translator just to order dinner — Rahm kicked off his collegiate career in fine fashion, winning two events and leading the nation in birdies as a freshman.

Under the tutelage of Sun Devils head coach and PGA Tour sibling Tim Mickelson, who now serves as Rahm’s agent, the Biscay native’s immense talent was allowed to flourish. He eventually graduated with a degree in communications and a sterling resume: eight collegiate victories, two Ben Hogan awards and the No. 1 spot in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.

Along the way, he received several sponsors’ exemptions to play on the PGA Tour and performed well, tying for fifth at the 2015 Waste Management Phoenix Open and for 10th at the OHL Classic at Mayakoba some nine months later. Then, last summer, he got the world’s attention by delivering a low-amateur performance at the U.S. Open, tying for 23rd on an absolute bear of a setup at Oakmont.

Pro Jump Start

After taking advantage of his major exemption, Rahm turned professional and saw immediate results, starting with a podium finish at the Quicken Loans National. After opening with a 64, he failed to break 70 on the weekend, winding up in a tie for third place. It was a disappointing end to a great week, but fumbling away a tournament on Sunday afternoon is an essential experience for any young pro.

From there, the strong finishes kept piling up: in Canada, the Napa Valley, Las Vegas. By the end of 2016, there wasn’t a golf fan out there who didn’t expect big things from Rahm in the new year. Few, however, were prepared for just how quickly he would take things to the next level.

On the heels of a couple of lackluster performances, Rahm rolled into this year’s Farmers Insurance Open looking to take his first career crack at Torrey Pines. He opened with a ho-hum 72 on the South Course, but Rahm has always been a quick study, notching back-to-back 69s on Friday and Saturday before unleashing his full potential to make a furious back nine charge on Sunday afternoon. He finished with an eagle on 18, and by the time he was done, Rahm had a closing 65 and his first PGA Tour victory.

Ready to Challenge Day, McIlroy & Scott?

And since then, it’s been business as usual. A tie for 16th at TPC Scottsdale, a tie for fifth at Pebble Beach and a tie for third in Mexico City, and Rahm is in sixth place on the FedEx Cup points list, ahead of huge names like Day, Rory McIlroy and Adam Scott.

As good as Rahm has been so far, you have to wonder what’s coming next. Naturally, early-career success is the best indicator of a potential superstar career, and he’s got both the resume and the talent to become a generational player. At 22, he ranks second on the PGA Tour in strokes gained: tee-to-green and seventh in scoring average, a testament to his terrific game.

It’s still a long way to the summit of professional golf, but given the progress he’s made, it’s safe to say that Jon Rahm will be challenging for the crown soon enough. If he keeps developing on schedule, the USA might not hold onto the Ryder Cup for very long.

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What do you think — will Jon Rahm end up as one of the elite players in golf? Let us know in the comments, and keep it here for more updates from Jon Rahm’s career.