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2021 US Open: Top 10 power rankings at Torrey Pines

By Mike Randleman

Jan 30, 2021; San Diego, California, USA; A detailed view of the south course map adjacent to the first tee during the third round of the Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament at Torrey Pines Municipal Golf Course. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 30, 2021; San Diego, California, USA; A detailed view of the south course map adjacent to the first tee during the third round of the Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament at Torrey Pines Municipal Golf Course. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 30, 2021; San Diego, California, USA; Jon Rahm plays his shot from the fifth tee during the third round of the Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament at Torrey Pines Municipal Golf Course – South Course. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 30, 2021; San Diego, California, USA; Jon Rahm plays his shot from the fifth tee during the third round of the Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament at Torrey Pines Municipal Golf Course – South Course. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports /

Rahmbo is back. Jon Rahm triumphantly tweeted Saturday he had two negative COVID-19 tests in a 24-hour span to assure he can return to competition next week at the U.S. Open.

He’ll never get that $1.6 million winner’s check back that looked to be his when he had to withdraw from the Memorial Tournament after leading by six through 54 holes. It would be all well and good if he can make up for it by winning his first major championship.

By all accounts, Rahm appeared healthy and asymptomatic while contracting the virus, and that he was able to practice by himself while in quarantine.

The fiery Spaniard surely had some volatile moments in the aftermath of that fateful Saturday. Any of us would. I think enough time has now passed where he’s refocused and ready to go.

The oddsmakers agree.

Rahm is the betting favorite as of Monday morning.

A big reason for that is his history at Torrey Pines. His first PGA Tour win came at the 2017 Farmers Insurance Open. Fresh off a dominating collegiate career at Arizona State, Rahm buried a 60-foot eagle on the 72nd hole to win with scores of 72-69-69-65.

He followed with T-29th (68-66-75-77) in tough conditions in 2018, T-5th (62-72-68-72) in 2019, second by a shot in 2020 (68-71-65-70) and T-7th (69-67-72-72) this year. That 62 in 2019 was at the North, if you’re wondering.

It also took a Sunday 65 by Marc Leishman to overtake the overnight co-leader Rahm.

“It’s just a really good atmosphere. And we come here so often that it almost feels like, with Phoenix and Spain, a home event honestly,” Rahm was transcribed in 2020 by Tee Scripts. “We spend a lot of time here. We stay at the same hotel every time we come and it’s just comfortable. That’s the best word, comfortable and familiar, and once you’re comfortable and you just keep on going in that routine, it’s easier to play good golf.”

At the 2021 Farmers, Rahm made no double bogeys or worse. He hit only 50 percent fairways but was 13th in strokes gained off the tee (.569) and wasn’t missing fairways by much.

He’s third on the PGA Tour in that stat for the season (.859).

Even slight misses will be punished more so this week than in January. Fortunately, the 26-year-old’s got the strength to hoist it out of the thick stuff.

Prior to the Memorial, Rahm logged T-8th at the PGA Championship. His last win came in August at the BMW Championship, but he’s got 10 top-10s and only one missed cut since then.

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