Jon Rahm Has a Quick Turnaround to Begin Chasing a Rare Feat
Jon Rahm didn’t have much time to celebrate his latest victory at The American Express as this week’s Farmers Insurance Open starts a day early.
But he couldn’t ask for a better venue to try and extend his 2023 opening streak when he begins play Wednesday.
Torrey Pines Golf Course is also where Rahm won his first PGA Tour event in 2017, where he got engaged to his wife, Kelly, and where he won the 2021 U.S. Open.
He can join rare company in winning three straight starts on the PGA Tour. It's happened 18 times going back to 1997, 14 of those by Tiger Woods, according to the Tour.
"It is on my mind obviously," Rahm told reporters at Torrey Pines after playing in the pro-am. "I've been reminded of it many, many times. And even more knowing where we’re coming, right, a place where I've played so good at. I still need to go out there and shoot a very low score to win. So my mind is on day-to-day at the moment.
“If Sunday—sorry, Saturday afternoon—I get to enjoy a walk down 18 and win, I'll tell you how it feels and how much it was on my mind, but as of right now I've got to focus on the process and what I need to do for tomorrow."
Rahm slipped concerning the Saturday finish, the only one this year on the PGA Tour. It is being done to avoid going up against the NFL’s playoff games on Sunday.
And it means Rahm gets back at it quickly after a two-tournament winning streak at the Sentry Tournament of Champions and the Amex, where he was a combined 54 under par.
Rahm has been on a tear going back to last year, having won four of his last six worldwide starts. He is ranked third in the world behind Rory McIlroy—who is playing in Dubai—and Scottie Scheffler.
In addition to his 2017 win at the Farmers, Rahm has finished T5-2-T7-T3 in his last four starts at Torrey Pines.
"I'm aware very few people have been able to do this," Rahm said. "I saw some list, think there's only five or six of us to start the year with two wins, Justin Thomas being the most recent one six years ago.
"I'm aware this is very rare and I appreciate it because if anything, it's a humbling feeling of how much work you need to put in to be able to do something like this because of the talent you have out there. Keeps you grounded in the sense that if you want to keep doing it, then I would ... stay there and keep on going. With that said, no, I don't take it for granted because who knows how long 'til one of those comes again."