Rahm inspired by Ballesteros on Masters debut

AUGUSTA, Georgia (Reuters) - Spain's Jon Rahm will seek inspiration from the late Seve Ballesteros this week when he makes his first appearance in the U.S. Masters after a stellar start to the season.

Rahm inspired by Ballesteros on Masters debut

(Reuters)





The 22-year-old won the Farmers Insurance Open and finished second behind world number one Dustin Johnson in the WGC Dell Matchplay to put himself in contention to become the first player to win on his Augusta debut since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979.

Ballesteros, who claimed the Masters title twice, would have celebrated his 60th birthday on Sunday. He died of cancer in 2011 at the age of 54.

"Seve is my ultimate idol and the name Seve Ballesteros is really important to me," Rahm told reporters on Monday.

"I try to emulate a lot of things he did."

Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal was the last Spanish Masters winner in 1999 and he also donned the Green Jacket in 1994, the year in which Rahm was born.

"For a Spaniard, it's hard to explain all the feelings that come to mind," Rahm said. "It really is a place that seems to suit the Spanish character, the Spanish way of playing."

Rahm has climbed to 12th in the world rankings and really sprung to prominence in a dramatic WGC final against Johnson last month in which he fought back from five down to lose at the last hole in the matchplay event.

"I learned that if I have a good day I can take on the number one player in the world," Rahm said.

Rahm has benefited from a close relationship with five-times major champion Phil Mickelson whose brother Tim is the Spaniard's manager.

"Obviously I've been able to play a lot with Phil," Rahm said. "We all know how great a guy he is and how much he can help a person and how knowledgeable he is in the game of golf.

"The way he studies the game, he thinks about it more than anybody else. The insight he's got, it really is amazing."

The muscular Rahm, who drives the ball a prodigious distance and has the shot-making skills required to win at Augusta, is not short of confidence either.

"If I didn't think I could win the tournament, I wouldn't be here," he said.

"When I tee it up, it's just because I want to win and I believe that I can win."





(Editing by)


Share

3 min read

Published

Source: Reuters



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world
Rahm inspired by Ballesteros on Masters debut | SBS News