The Desert Classic: Power ranking the top 10 golfers at PGA West

Jon Rahm might be world No. 1 if he could play events like these more often. While it’s not necessary to be long at the Desert Classic, it certainly doesn’t hurt. The 24-year-old Spaniard is free to bomb away. The 2018 tournament champ averaged a middling 64.29 percent of fairways hit but could afford to average 309 yards off the tee and was able to hit it close from all over the grid and managed 72.2 percent GIR.

Sure enough, a slightly above average putting week got it done and lifted him past Andrew Landry in a four-hole playoff. Oh yeah, a 62 at La Quinta on Thursday also helped quite a bit.

Rahm tied for 34th in his Desert Classic debut in 2017.

He’s likely one of the sharper players in the field given his T8 at the Tournament of Champions a couple weeks ago. That was on the heels of a busy winter as he competed in the European Tour’s Race to Dubai Final Series in November and winning the Hero World Challenge (by four!) in December.

Given that he only played 24 events last year, I think he should be energized to defend his title. That 2018 calendar year featured three worldwide wins (two on the European Tour) as well as 10 total top-10s and three missed cuts between the two tours.

Rahm finished third last season in birdie average and second in strokes gained off the tee, the latter largely because of his distance. He’s great from tee to green (20th in Strokes Gained) and has a solid short game for a big man (52nd).

If he can get the flat stick rolling (147th in strokes gained putting), I like his chances. The Arizona State alum is well familiar with desert style courses.

“I played here in Palm Springs three times (in college),” Rahm said in 2018. “I think I finished runner-up and third in two of them.”

Rahm gets rolling in events like these in the desert. Look for him to be right back on top again this week.