Jon Rahm Has A Big Game And Old World Talent

Can This 22-year-old Win the U.S. open?

- Jaime Diaz

JON RAHM’S 102 or so kilograms don’t exactly taper along his 6-2 frame. Instead, they settle with an even thickness, leaving him with the natural ballast that has historically contributed to stick-and-ball genius. Not that there’s anything plodding about Rahm. Watching the Spaniard swing a driver is to be reminded that large land mammals often move with startling speed.

Facially, Rahm (pronounced Rom) evokes a young Stallone, the strong bone structure softened by droopy lower eyelids, more reason the nickname Rahmbo will stick. Golfingly, the best comparisons might be the chunky, explosive, persimmon-driver-cracking Jack Nicklaus, circa 1962. Or a prime-time Roberto De Vicenzo, the brawny Argentine known for his wondrous action and pure striking.

These days in professional golf, power players aren’t unusual. Many youngsters have been projected for success, but awesome ball speeds and majestic ball flights alone do not low scores make. Many who hit it can’t really chip it and putt it. Dustin Johnson suffered from the syndrome until doing the hard work to escape it made him No. 1 in the world.

In contrast, Rahm’s completeness is his differentiator. It’s arguable that he has more game through the bag at 22 than all but one of the best young players to emerge since the 1990s. Among Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els, Tiger Woods, Sergio Garcia, Jason Day, Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth, only Woods at 22 was as well-rounded as Rahm.