AUGUSTA — Jon Rahm was jovial during his pre-Masters press conference Tuesday, cracking jokes about hitting a high cut over Butler Cabin and how his world golf ranking continues to tank.
This was a far cry from last year when the 2023 champion was grilled about his move to LIV and defiantly defensive in response, and it spoke to the different place he’s in now than then.
His game, he said, is improved and, unlike last year, he feels it can hold up under major championship pressure. More importantly, perhaps, he seems comfortable in his own skin again, admitting last year was one of transition, which led to some disappointing results in the majors, including the Masters.
“Last year for me was tough because it was the first major after joining LIV and I was also defending, so there was a lot going on that week, a lot of new things, new locker room, having the Champions Dinner. It was a lot to adjust to,” Rahm said. “I think a lot of it was more internal in my case than external.”
That internal struggle seems to have vanished in the Georgia air. Rahm had the press room in giggles a few times and certainly seemed confident in his ability to compete this year after struggling as the defending champion last year.
Certainly, the fact he wasn’t given the customary grace a defending champion receives from the media played a role in that. His decision to join LIV a few months before the 2024 Masters set the stage for that.
Time heals much, however, and it seems to have done plenty for Rahm.
“Where am I in the world rankings at this point? Am I out of the top 100 yet? A couple weeks to go and I'll be gone,” Rahm said to a room full of laughter. “I mean, I'm not going to say exactly a number, but I would still undoubtedly consider myself a top-10 player in the world.”
That didn’t show last year. Rahm was T45 at the Masters and missed the cut at the PGA Championship. He withdrew from the U.S. Open due to an injury before finishing the year strong with a T7 at the British Open.
“Not my favorite major season last year, that's true,” Rahm said. “Didn't play great here, didn't play great at the PGA, and wasn't even able to tee it up at the U.S. Open. I was very happy to finish up there at the Open on a very challenging week. At least set the tone hopefully for this year, and feel like I'm playing much better golf coming into this week.”
Rahm said his swing is technically stronger this year than last, though he didn't go into specific changes he's made there. He has finished in the Top 10 in all five LIV events this year. He’s coming off a T9 at LIV Miami, which is played at Doral, where he shot 1 over for three rounds.
Last year was virtually the same, however. He was top 10 in all five LIV events heading into the Masters, but never contended and nearly missed the cut. His T45 was his worst finish in eight starts at Augusta, where he has five top-10 finishes including his win in 2023.
“I would just say last year I was able to score really well,” Rahm said. “Never really felt 100% comfortable with my game throughout, and that's possibly why on the bigger stages when it was difficult, like here or the PGA, I didn't play my best golf.”
The LIV conundrum didn’t help. Rahm went from PGA Tour loyalist to turncoat. His pre-Masters press conference as defending champion, usually a lighthearted affair reminiscing on the previous year’s triumph, was focused mostly on that decision. Rahm was defensive in response.
The bad-boy image cultivated with the black leather jacket he wore for his LIV announcement never seemed to fit his personality. He’s not the bad boy of golf. He’s a historian of the game with a deep appreciation for his role in it. Getting back to that place seems to have taken a weight off him.
That was evident in this year’s press conference. Rahm was asked how noticeable the tree loss around Augusta National from last year’s hurricane was. His response got plenty of laughter.
“Somebody, I won’t say who, did tell me you can hit a high cut over the cabins on 10,” Rahm said. “I don't see there's a chance where so many trees fell where that's a possibility. And after I said this, I'm pretty sure there might be a tree right there next to the tee tomorrow morning.”
Finally back in his element, Rahm seems primed for a bounceback week at one of his favorite courses. Whether he’s ready to win remains to be seen. But it’s clear Rahm is in a vastly different place internally, which should translate to the golf course as well.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Jon Rahm Is Back in His Comfort Zone and Hoping Results Show It at the Masters.
