Jon Rahm sure of his strength, on his way to the Grand Slam?

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Winner of the Masters in April, world number 1, Jon Rahm is one of the big favorites of the PGA Championship which begins Thursday in Oak Hill (New York). His first speech showed that he was calm, serene, sure of his strength, he who has already won four times this season. Unlike a Rory McIlroy who seemed in full doubt, half an hour earlier at a press conference.

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Winner of theU.S. Open a 2021 a you mastery last month, only two rounds are missing Jon Rahm to complete a Grand Slam in career after which runs Rory McIlroy for almost ten years. And on his current form, he could well make everyone agree on Sunday at PGA Championshipon an “old school” course, according to Justin Thomas Monday, which should suit him perfectly.

“I watched clips from the 2013 PGA and I saw that by redesigning the course they had tried to make it more difficult”first highlighted the world number 1 on Tuesday, about the course ofHill Oak where begins Thursday the second Major of the year.

I like this course. It’s challenging but fun.

“I like this course. It’s challenging but fun. And whoever is going to decide the position of the flags, or even the tees, is going to have a lot of fun, because there will be many opportunities. But if you put the ball where you need to put it, on the fairways and on the greens, nothing crazy should happen.added the Basque colossus, renowned for his regularity.

Already four victories in 2023

” I feel good. I’m confident. I’m having an incredible year. I’m having fun and I would like to continue riding this wave”smiled Jon Rahm. He is not a surfer at all but his recent record speaks for itself: victory at the Masters, but also at the genesis inviteAtAmerican ExpressAt Tournament of Championsand podiums at Mexico Open (2nd) and at Phoenix Open (3rd), to speak only of the year 2023. That’s pretty good value for money, especially in such richly endowed tournaments.

I would like to continue riding this wave.

The revamped Major season, which only dates back to 2019, is a huge boon for the in-form man of the moment, with four Grand Slams taking place between early April and mid-July. In the wake of the Masters, where he never seemed to doubt, he can very well investigate the PGA Championship this week and The Open At royal liverpoolto complete a rare career Grand Slam. Even if it means slowing down at the US Open… which he surely won’t!

” Of course, if I win this week or if I win The Open, it will become a reality, but winning two Majors is not easy, and to imagine that we can choose them seems ridiculous to me. The Grand Slam would be great, but there are very few people who have succeeded (Editor’s note, Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus And Tiger Woods) and the last was called Tiger. Without wanting to sound too arrogant, I prefer to focus on the number of Majors I can win, rather than a possible Grand Slam. »

Disillusioned McIlroy?

On this very specific subject, that of the number of Majors won, Jon Rahm is catching up with Rory McIlroy. The Northern Irishman, 3rd player in the world, has played 30 Majors since his last victory in a Grand Slam. It was precisely at the PGA Championship, in 2014, long before the reorganization of the calendar. And Rory is still missing the green jacket, hence his huge disappointment last month when he missed the cut at Augustwhen he had played rather well, and often, this winter.

Tuesday at a press conference, just before Rahm, McIlroy seemed a little disillusioned. “I think I have to ask myself fewer questions, have lower expectations. And if I never win a tournament again on the PGA TourI can still say that my career has been a success”even added, in essence, one of the most gifted players of his generation.

McIlroy is only 34, since the beginning of May, compared to 28 for Rahm, and he has put a lot of energy into the fight of recent months against the LIFE GOLF of Greg Norman. This PGA Championship can allow him to prove the bookmakers wrong and return to the top… Provided he beats Jon Rahm and Scottie Scheffleramong other high-end rivals.

Photo: Kevin C. Cox/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/Getty Images via AFP

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