KAPALUA, Hawaii – Jon Rahm wore a red shirt and black pants Sunday on his way to shooting 10-under 63 at Kapalua Resort’s Plantation Course and pulling off an improbable comeback to win the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions.
During his winner’s press conference, Rahm explained why he chose to wear an outfit made famous by Tiger Woods.
“I didn’t want to wear navy every day. So I just put on the black ones, not that I even had hope, but I’m like we’re going to need a small miracle. After bogeying 1, I was going to need somewhat of a larger miracle. It goes to say, you just got to do the little things properly,” Rahm said.
Left unsaid was why exactly Rahm had worn blue pants every day through the third round while competing in Maui.
“You want to know the honest truth?” Rahm said. “I forgot almost all the belts I was supposed to bring. So I had a navy belt and a black belt. And I told (wife) Kelley, ‘I’m not about to be a hot as hell all week wearing black pants and darker shirts, so navy it is.
“Then I went to Sunday and I said, ‘I do not want to wear navy pants again.’ So, because we’re teeing off at 10 a.m., there goes the black pants. And that’s all I can tell you. I know it’s a stupid answer to a stupid question, but that’s the truth. I usually don’t want to wear anything that’s close to red with black on Sundays because of Tiger. That’s his outfit. That’s why I wear gray or navy or other things usually. I don’t want to get close to him.”
But on this occasion, Rahm, who also confessed that he forgot socks too, had to have sponsor Travis Mathew ship him a black belt so he didn’t only have his blue belt.
“Yeah, I forgot a few things,” he said.
But not his game. Rahm notched his eighth career Tour title.
“I brought my clubs, that’s kind of all I was thinking of,” he said. “Brought my clubs, kid stuff, but I forgot a few of my things.”
