Jon Rahm has landed in Southern Hills (Tulsa, Oklahoma) full of confidence after his victory at the Mexico Open two weeks ago, which was his ninth victory on the PGA Tour. The Basque, who ceded the world number one to Scottie Scheffler, is the only player who can take the privileged position from the American, although for that he must win and that his rival makes a shared fifth place, or worse.
In any case, both times the PGA Championship was played on this course, the winner finished number one at the end of it, so that may bode well for Jon, the only one with that option, apart from Scheffler himself. The ‘Lion of Barrika’ arrives with his homework done, and he was in Southern Hills on Monday and Tuesday of last week.
As he acknowledged at a press conference, “in this field you cannot hide, you have to do everything well, here few play under par” The Spanish golfer reiterated, as in Mexico, his new philosophy of “less is more.”
After a rather discreet start to the course for what he was used to, he tried to correct various elements of his game, focusing on small nuances. However, Jon himself was clear that he should once again be guided by his sensations and in this way his blows would flow again, and thus a new triumph came.
“You just have to visualize where you want to put it, and that helps mentally,” he explains.
Jon Rahm, statements
Of course, Rahm pointed out that he is playing more and more comfortable and his ball has gained speed, thanks to his new shoes.
“I think it’s changed the way I play a little bit because of the shoes I’m wearing this year, which are different than in the past. They’re much more comfortable, we’ve done a great job with Equator and Travis Matthew’s team, and I think It has allowed me to be a little more stable”, said the Basque.
The winner of the US Open 2021, who was born with a club foot, explained that he now wears golf shoes created specifically for him, according to his problem: “I have a large arch in my right foot and I have a difference in length in my leg, so I have a 1.5cm riser on the right.
When I wear a normal shoe, I lose stability, but now I wear one that helps distribute the weight and makes it easier for me to swing. When I was little I used to go to the shoemaker, I cut the sole and put the riser in. These are things that I have been doing for a long time, but at this point, these experts have helped me a lot.
Last year I played with a flat shoe, with which I could swing well, but it caused me some pain and it was not something I should do. This year with the new shoe I am super happy, “he said.
