Imagine being the sole hope for an entire nation’s golfing pride, sounds like a lot of pressure right? Well, that’s exactly the weight Jon Rahm has been carrying on his shoulders, and he’s risen to the challenge spectacularly. With his impressive performance in the year 2024, Rahm has single-handedly saved Spanish golf from a humiliating milestone, but what exactly? We all know that Rahm made a big switch to LIV Golf this year, signing a massive $500 million deal. But it’s caused some tension with other players, who are asking him and others to give up their LIV Golf winnings. On top of that, Rahm’s world ranking is up in the air because of the ongoing drama between LIV Golf and the Official World Golf Ranking.

Per the latest tweet by Nosferatu on X, “For only the second time in the #OWGR era, Spain will finish a year with only one player in the top 100 in the world! (Jon Rahm #25) The other time this happened was in 1996 when MA Jimenez was the only Spaniard at #71…” This staggering statistic highlights the immense pressure Rahm has been under to perform, and his success is proof of his skill and determination. Despite the challenges posed by the rift between the DP World Tour and LIV Golf, Rahm has continued to excel on the course.

But there’s no doubt that Rahm’s ranking has taken a hit by dropping from the top 3 to 25th, and there’s a possibility that he could have dropped even further. Looking ahead to 2025, there’s a possibility that Rahm may continue to face challenges. But Rahm is driven to grow the sport of golf in Spain and is ready for new challenges for sure. Earlier this year, he talked about his idol, Seve Ballesteros who is another Spanish legend, and said that he hopes to make a significant impact on the sport’s popularity in his home country, citing Ballesteros’ incredible influence on golf in Spain.

“I don’t know if he ever had a plan on doing it directly, but when he started playing golf, I believe there were 11,000 licensed golfers in Spain,” Rahm said. “By the time he died, it was around 350,000. So, times 30.” Rahm aims to make half the impact that Ballesteros had, which would mean increasing the number of registered golfers in Spain to over a million. “If, when I die, we are exactly times 15, then we’re in the millions in Spain,” Rahm said. “That’s obviously a massive impact. Yes, it’s a very daunting task … but I would consider it a massive success.”

Rahm believes that his decision to join LIV Golf will help him achieve his goal of growing the sport in Spain. He is aware that he has a long way to go to match Ballesteros’ charisma and appeal, but he is determined to make a lasting impact on golf in Spain.

John Rahm believes that ‘It’s his duty” to compete in the Spanish Open

Earlier this year, Jon Rahm said he felt a sense of duty to participate in the Spanish Open, and his actions backed up his words. Rahm had been gearing up for a sensational comeback on the DP World Tour at the Spanish Open in Madrid, and it was clear that his love for the game had triumphed over politics. Despite being fined and banned by the DP World Tour for competing in LIV Golf events, Rahm had remained committed to his national open, and his allegiance to Spanish turf had been unwavering. As he had put it, “I don’t go to the Spanish Open for the glory or anything else. I think it’s my duty to Spanish golf to be there.”

In the end, it all worked out for Rahm. He managed to balance his commitments and priorities, and his dedication to Spanish golf paid off. Despite the challenges he faced, Rahm delivered an impressive performance at the Spanish Open, finishing in second place with 14 under par. On a personal note, Rahm and his wife Kelley had recently welcomed their newborn daughter, Alaia Cahill Rahm, born in September 2024. With his career and personal life thriving, Rahm’s decision to stay committed to the Spanish Open had proven to be the right one.