Waste Management Phoenix Open: Power Rankings

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SCOTTSDALE, AZ – FEBRUARY 01: Amateur Jon Rahm makes birdie on the tenth hole during the final round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale on February 1, 2015 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images) /

It’ll forever be an uphill battle with Phil Mickelson, but Jon Rahm is gaining on Lefty for most popular Sun Devil. Both Arizona State University graduates are in the field this week, and it’s Rahm who has been outperforming his predecessor.

Rahm fizzled on the weekend last week at the Farmers Insurance Open, but it was a minor hiccup in an excellent stretch of golf. The 22-year-old Spaniard won the CareerBuilder Challenge and tied for 29th at Torrey Pines.

He also closed the 2017 calendar year with a win at the European Tour’s closing DP World Tour Championship and kicked off 2018 with a solo runner-up at the Sentry Tournament of Champions.

Rahm’s resume is impressive at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

He matched Mickelson in a tie for 16th last year (while shooting 65 on Saturday) and tied for fifth as an amateur in his first start in 2015.

Rahm was 21st in GIR and seventh in birdie average. He can hit further than anyone and his short game is starting to develop into a plus for him, too.

Fatigue could be a factor as this is his third straight week of competition, but he’s been consistent enough to make nine out of his last 10 cuts worldwide.

The last time he played three weeks in a row culminated in a T27 at the 2017 Masters.

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