{"id":2215,"date":"2024-04-11T07:24:57","date_gmt":"2024-04-11T07:24:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/internationalpulse.net\/?p=2215"},"modified":"2024-04-11T07:24:57","modified_gmt":"2024-04-11T07:24:57","slug":"why-jon-rahm-has-more-than-just-the-masters-to-defend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/internationalpulse.net\/?p=2215","title":{"rendered":"Why Jon Rahm has more than just the Masters to defend"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"Jon\n<\/div>

Jon Rahm is this week\u2019s defending champion (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The beauty of The Masters lies in its familiarity, but the week ahead at Augusta National is shrouded in a element of mystery and intrigue for Jon Rahm.<\/p>\n

That, of course, is a consequence of the Spaniard\u2019s own doing. He drives down Magnolia Lane this week not only as the defending champion after his supreme final-round display twelve months, ago but also as the latest big name to leave the PGA Tour for the riches of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf.<\/p>\n

Rahm\u2019s high-profile departure has left him with contrasting build-up to this year\u2019s Masters, too. In 2023, the 29-year-old arrived as the game\u2019s in-form player having won three of his first eight tournaments of the year.<\/p>\n

This time around, however, he will begin his campaign with just five of LIV\u2019s 54-hole events under his belt. For many fans, Thursday\u2019s first round may be their first time seeing Rahm compete since his move.<\/p>\n

At his pre-tournament press conference, Rahm cut an uncharacteristically reserved figure, his mannerisms and hushed tone perhaps hinting at a man who was still coming to terms with his new place in golf\u2019s ever-changing ecosystem.<\/p>\n

He sought to justify his decision to jump ship at the back end of last year but also spoke candidly about the hardship of missing out on big PGA Tour events and his desire to compete there again in the future.<\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2019ve mentioned a few times, there are some venues that I miss not being at, not only because I won but just because I love it,\u2019 he said. \u2018Not being at Palm Springs, Torrey Pines and L.A. wasn\u2019t the easiest. Driving by Phoenix as often as I had to, seeing the stands, and knowing that I wasn\u2019t going to be there was quite hard.<\/p>\n

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\"Jon\n<\/div>

Jon Rahm has a point to prove this week (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018I still love the PGA Tour and you do miss competing against certain people. I still wish everyone the best, and I still hope that at some point I can compete there again.\u2019<\/p>\n

But, with a finalised deal between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia\u2019s Public Investment Fund, LIV\u2019s bankrollers, nowhere in sight, the two-time major champion \u2013 like many of his LIV peers \u2013 will remain confined to the four major championships to enhance his legacy against the rest of the world\u2019s best.<\/p>\n

Augusta will therefore take on added significance. Rahm will face off against his former colleagues for the first time since his move to LIV, but it may be one of precious few occasions in the months and years to come.<\/p>\n

In his absence from the PGA Tour, Scottie Scheffler has reaffirmed himself as the dominant force. The American, a past Masters champion in 2022, enters this week after wins in successive events at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Players Championship.<\/p>\n

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World number one Scottie Scheffler will look to dethrone Rahm (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Wyndham Clark, the reigning US Open champion, has risen to world number four having finished runner-up to Scheffler in both events, while Rory McIlroy showed signs of promise with a third-place finish at last week\u2019s Texas Open.<\/p>\n

Rahm\u2019s start to the year, in comparison, has been understated. Despite three top-five finishes, he remains winless after his first five events. For large parts of the season, he has found himself either outgunned by Joaquin Niemann\u2019s early-season form, or overshadowed by the dramatic comeback of Anthony Kim after a 12-year hiatus from the sport.<\/p>\n