In two years, Jon Rahm will complete a decade of being a professional golfer. From his journey starting on the PGA Tour and now continuing at the LIV Golf, in all these years, the Spaniard has seen many ups and downs and made many great memories.

As he turned 30 on November 11th, 2024, there remain many of the best things that the Spaniard did, and for years to come, it may remain unforgettable for all of the golf world.

1. Jon Rahm becoming the world’s best golfer

It is the biggest moment in any golfer’s life when they reach the world’s first rank on the Official World Golf Ranking and finally can say that they are better than the rest. It happened to Jon Rahm in 2020 at the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield. Unsurprisingly, it was not easy at all. After being given the 2-stroke penalty for unintentionally moving his ball at the par-3 16th, struggling, Rahm finished 3 over 75 and won the Memorial to be ranked the world no. 1.

It was a dream come true as Rahm became only the 24th European and the second Spanish pro after Seve Ballesteros to be ranked first on OWGR. Excitedly, he noted, “How many people get to achieve a lifelong dream in their mid-20s? It’s incredible. To be a Spaniard, the second Spaniard to ever do it… It’s a pretty unique feeling, so I’m going to enjoy it for a while.”

Undoubtedly, he would say that evening at Muirfield would never be forgotten by Rahm or the golf world.

2. Rahm’s enchanting victory over Tiger Woods 

If Seve Ballesteros is the one who intrigued Jon Rahm to play golf, then Tiger Woods is the one who inspired him to continue it. And what more could he have asked than to face his inspiration and get a victory over him at the Ryder Cup? It was hard to beat his all-time hero, but it was all worth it. At the 2018 Ryder Cup at Le Golf National. From the moment Rahm knew he was facing Woods, his nerves were up and tight. He talked to his mental coach and his teammates and prepared to ace the legend of the game.

On Sunday singles, at the 17th hole, just when Rahm was about to hit it in, someone from the crowd screamed, “Do it for Seve.” He started thinking many things at one moment, like how his grandpa had died and he and Ballesteros were probably watching him then. He drained that putt and won 2&1 over Woods.

He screamed in celebration as the fans roared, but when he faced Woods, Rahm couldn’t do anything but cry. The 15-time major winner consoled him and said he played great. Talking about his victory, Rahm summed up, “There’s not many things that are going to be better than that in golf for me.”

3. Rahm meets Ballesteros’s record again

He became the first world no. 1 after Seve Ballesteros, but the mission to give the Spanish golfer a new pro to be inspired by didn’t start there. Before becoming the world’s best, Jon Rahm became Europe’s best golfer in 2019. The Spaniard was playing in the DP World Tour Championship, and with a birdie on the 18th hole, Rahm finished one stroke ahead of Tommy Fleetwood and lifted the shiny season finale trophy.

With this victory, he also won the Race to Dubai title and its trophy, making him the second Spanish pro after Ballesteros to be the European No. 1. To follow in his idol’s footsteps was surely enthralling for Rahm as he said, “Seve is such an idol for all of us, and so are Sergio (Garcia) and Olly (Jose Maria Olazabal) and so many of the great Spanish players, and to think that I’m putting my name there before they do is hard to believe,” but indeed, Rahm carving his name way ahead of many is truly incredible.

4. Making records as a Spaniard and a first-time father

No Spanish player could do it, not even Seve Ballesteros. If you’d turn the history pages of the US Open since it was inaugurated in 1895, you would not find a single name of a Spanish player except for Jon Rahm. Yes, surprisingly, a Spanish golfer never won the US Open until Rahm lifted the silver trophy in 2021 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Just a few days before his first major victory, Rahm welcomed his first son, Kepa, and the major win coincided with Father’s Day. So it was two celebrations at once as the Spaniard told Kepa Rahm, “Little man, you have no idea what this means right now. You will soon enough.” Two years later, Rahm won the Masters and, yet again, became the only Spanish golfer to have a Masters’ Green Jacket and the sterling silver of the US Open.

5. The shocking LIV decisions & debut

It was undeniably shocking that Jon Rahm, who has called for his loyalty to the PGA Tour and expressed that he couldn’t play the 54-hole tournament, had signed an alleged $500 million contract with LIV Golf. A week later, he was suspended from the PGA Tour, but the European Tour didn’t follow the same. And in February 2024, Rahm made his debut in Mayakoba with his team. From there onwards started an incredible debut on the breakaway circuit.

He won two events, withdrew from another, and finished inside the top 10 in all the other 11 LIV Golf events. He was already the richest golfer in 2024, per Forbes, and the money only increased after Rahm also became the 2024 LIV Golf Individual Champion. Whether the golf world agreed with Rahm’s LIV decision or not, the Spaniard showed that his gameplay didn’t falter after signing the deal. Whether it is the PGA Tour or LIV Golf, he will always try to be one of the golfers to ever exist.