Jon Rahm is a special talent.
The Spaniard has already clinched five wins despite having only turned professional towards the end of 2016.
That includes last year’s European Tour season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai and the Irish Open.
Rahm dominated in Portstewart, strolling to a six-stroke victory, so expectations were certainly high as he prepared to defend the title at Ballyliffin Golf Club this week.
While he ultimately came up shy, he certainly thrilled the crowds in Donegal. Then again, we shouldn’t be at all surprised.
There is always going to be a temptation to compare an emerging Spanish golfing talent to either Seve Ballesteros or Sergio Garcia. However, Rahm – like his two illustrious compatriots – really seems like the real deal.
He’s already proven himself to be a thoroughbred winner and he’s only 23 (and that’s easy to forget considering he looks about 40).
Rahm put some show at the Irish Open on Sunday. Recently, some observers have called out the world number five’s on-course behaviour. Sure, Rahm is prone to slamming his clubs into the ground or his bag, but that’s part of what makes him such a captivating presence.
Walking onto the third tee at Ballyliffin on Sunday, Rahm almost certainly found himself getting a bit hot under the collar once again.
He had just triple-bogeyed the second hole, falling back to -3 and pretty much extinguishing any hopes he had of defending his crown. At that point, it would have been reasonable to write Rahm off but the Spaniard produced a stunning run to nearly catapult himself to a most unlikely victory.
Rahm immediately got two shots back with birdies at three and four. He parred five before grabbing an eagle at the sixth courtesy of a perfectly-executed chip from the side of the green.
No putter required for @JonRahmPGA 👏🏼🦅#DDFIrishOpen #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/HsRjzRhtFA
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) July 8, 2018
He parred his way until the 13th, when he really caught fire, rattling off five birdies in his last six holes to sign for a brilliant 66 and leave him at -12 for the tournament.
But it could have been even better for the 2017 European Tour Rookie of the Year as his approach on the 18th struck the flag and stopped mere inches from the cup. Watch his approach below.
Jon Rahm… Wow!#DDFIrishOpen #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/67q4O5JMgY
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) July 8, 2018
Rahm would have come up agonisingly shy even if that approach had dropped. It would have left him at -13 alongside fellow Spaniard Jorge Campillo, one shot off making the play-off with Scot Russell Knox and Australia’s Ryan Fox.
WATCH: Liverpool BOTTLED the title race 🤬 | Who will win the Premier League?
