Tag Archives: Seve Ballesteros

Menu Revealed for Jon Rahm’s Spanish-Style Masters Club Dinner

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Jon Rahm’s cultura will be on display at the upcoming Masters Club dinner for champions next month.

The 29-year-old Spanish professional golfer and Masters champion will be serving up Spanish flavor at the ened.

Jon RahmThe cocktail reception will have gernika peppers, grown in a town in the Basque region of Spain when Rahm grew up. There also will be gildas, which he described as an anchovy skewer with peppers and olives.

“A lot of things are not people’s favorites, but it’s something that’s very common in the Basque country,” Rahm said Tuesday during a conference call for the Masters.

Among the appetizers is lentil stew — “Lentejas Estofadas” is how it is listed on the official menu — which came from his grandmother’s recipe.

Rahm, it appears, poured as much effort into the menu as he did for the Masters, where last year he outdueled Brooks Koepka on the final day to win by 4. He became the fourth Masters champion from Spain, joining Seve Ballesteros, José María Olazábal and Sergio Garcia.

The Masters Club, also known as the Champions Dinner, dates to 1952 when Ben Hogan organized a dinner for past champions. The dinner is only for Masters champions, with the club chairman (Fred Ridley) invited as an honorary member.

It’s not unusual for international dinners to bring a flavor from home — Angel Cabrera of Argentina served blood sausage, while Adam Scott served Moreton Bay bugs (lobster) — but Rahm is taking it to another level.

“I wanted to put a little bit of my heritage and my family into this dinner, which is going to make it even more special,” Rahm said. “It should be quite special. And they’re going to try a few things that they maybe haven’t seen before that are really quite tasty.”

The appetizers include acorn-fed Iberian ham and cured pork loin, known as “Ibericos.” There’s also a Spanish omelet with potatoes and “Croquet de Pollo,” which he described as creamy chicken fritters with potatoes. There’s also “Chistorra con Patata,” a spicy chorizo.

And then it’s time for the main course — Chuleton and Rodaballo al Pil-Pil.

Chuleton is a Basque ribeye that is seared and served already cut, with a hot plate that allows guests to cook it to the temperature of their choosing.

“Most people in northern Spain go about as much as medium rare,” Rahm said. “If you go past that, you’re going to get a weird look just because that’s how we are.”

The latter is a Turbot, a white fish popular in his region, served with asparagus.

And if there’s room left for dessert, Rahm is serving “Milhojas de Crema y Nata,” a puff pastry cake with custard and cream that was featured at Rahm’s wedding.

It isn’t always this complicated. The first time Tiger Woods hosted the Masters Club dinner in 1998, he served cheeseburgers, chicken sandwiches, french fries and milkshakes.

Jon Rahm Bests Royal Liverpool Record at The Open by 2 Shots

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Jon Rahm is breaking records to stay in the mix at The Open.

The 28-year-old Spanish professional golfer logged the lowest round ever at Royal Liverpool in its 13 times hosting the major.

Jon RahmRahm birdied seven of his last 10 holes on Saturday for a 63, by 2 shots the lowest score at Hoylake in The Open. The course was the only one in the modern rotation that had not yielded lower than a 65 until Saturday.

“I think it stands for itself. It’s pretty obvious. It’s my lowest round on a links course and it’s an Open Championship, right?” Rahm said “… I was playing good golf, and I knew what I was capable of.”

Ranked No. 3 in the world, Rahm holed a 12-foot birdie putt on the par-5 closing hole right about the time Brian Harman teed off. Following Harman’s 2-under 69, Rahm sits 6 shots back at 6 under and in third place.

Rahm made his move with four straight birdies around the turn. His finish was sharp too. He chipped to 8 feet for birdie on the 15th, holed a 35-foot birdie putt on the 16th and finished with the closing birdie.

“The job today was to come out and give myself the best opportunity I could,” he said. “Whenever you get a birdie, just thinking about one more. That’s simply all you can do.”

It was a stark contrast to Rahm’s frustration over the first two days after he creeped into the weekend at 2-over par following rounds of 74 and 70. Rahm left Hoylake upset with his misses and complaining about the number of people who got in his way while he played with Rory McIlroy.

Rahm said Saturday was one of those days in which he could execute everything he visualized ahead of his shots.

“It doesn’t happen often where you see those shots come out the way they’re supposed to and put them in the spots you’re supposed to,” Rahm said. “You see everything the way it’s supposed to happen unfold, and it’s very unusual.”

But as the reigning Masters champion put himself in contention for a potential third major title, he also wasn’t going to get ahead of where he stands. Only one player has come from 12 or more shots back after 36 holes to win a major. That was George Duncan in the 1920 Open.

“It feels really good, but it’s a lot of work to do tomorrow,” Rahm said.

Victory at Hoylake would put him alongside Seve Ballesteros as the only Spaniards to win The Open. Ballesteros won in 1979, 1984 and 1988.

Rahm was asked what he felt by becoming the first Spaniard to shoot 63 and do something that not even the great Ballesteros did in a major.

“I’d rather win three times and never shoot 63,” Rahm said.

Jon Rahm Wins Third Career Open de España Title

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Jon Rahm is a national champion once again…

The 27-year-old Spanish professional golfer won the Open de España by six shots to match Seve Ballesteros‘ record of winning three national titles.

The world No. 6 led Australia’s Min Woo Lee by one shot heading into the final round at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, but cruised to victory with a final-round 62, the lowest round of the week.

Rahm, who won the event in 2018 and 2019, finished six shots clear of second-placed Matthieu Pavon.

Asked how special the victory was, Rahm told Sky Sports: “You might need to ask me in a few days because I take quite a while to process these things.

“It was the goal coming in; Seve is a great hero of mine and to do something he took his whole career to do in just a few years is quite humbling, I’m not going to lie.

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“I understand it might not be the strongest field I play all year but sometimes these can be the hardest to win. I’m at home, I’m supposed to win, everybody is betting on me to win and to come out and play a Sunday like I just did is hard to describe.

“It’s my lowest score out here, it was pretty much a perfect week. The only thing that would make it better is if my wife and kids were here but I have a lot of family here that I don’t see throughout the year to celebrate with.

“It’s emotional. Going up the 18th hole I knew what was about to happen and to get it done like that, I can’t describe it.”

Rahm took a one-shot lead into the final round and quickly doubled his advantage with a birdie on the second, before picking up further shots on the sixth and seventh.

Playing partner Min Woo Lee kept up the pressure and closed to within a shot thanks to a birdie on the sixth and an eagle on the par-five seventh, only for Rahm to pull away with birdies on the ninth and 11th.

A bogey on the 12th briefly halted Rahm’s momentum but he responded with a birdie on the next and then almost made an albatross on the par-five 14th, his approach from 208 yards hitting the pin and finishing just five feet from the hole.

The resulting eagle put the result beyond any doubt and Rahm signed off in style with birdies on the 17th and 18th, while Pavon’s flawless closing 65 secured his third runners-up finish on the DP World Tour.

Lee finished a shot behind Pavon in third, with Ryder Cup vice-captain Edoardo Molinari and Zander Lombard two strokes further back in a tie for fourth.

Rahm’s win will take the 27-year-old from sixth to fifth in the world rankings.

Jon Rahm Named the 2019 European Tour Golfer of the Year

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Jon Rahm is the man of the hour…

The 25-year-old Spanish professional golfer has been named the 2019 European Tour Golfer of the Year.

Jon Rahm

Rahm finished the year as the No. 1-ranked player on the Euro Tourwith victories at the Irish Open, Spanish Open and the World Tour Championshipin Dubai.

He finished second at the BMW PGA Championship and Andalucia Masters.

In the United States, Rahm finished tied for ninth at The Masters and tied for third at the U.S. Open.

Rahm was selected by a panel of golf media. Ireland’s Shane Lowry, who won The Open, finished second in the voting.

Rahm joins Seve Ballesteros (1986, 88, 91) and Sergio Garcia (2017) as the third Spaniard to receive the European Tour’s Golfer of the Year award.

Jon Rahm Wins Spanish Open for Second Year in a Row

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Jon Rahm is making Spanish golf history…

The 24-year-old Spanish professional golfer won the Spanish Open for a second consecutive year on Sunday, beating Seve Ballesteros‘ record for the fastest Spaniard to reach five European Tour wins.

Jon Rahm

Golfing great Ballesteros needed 49 events to get five wins on the tour. Rahm did so in 39 tournaments after shooting a five-under 66 on the final round to finish 22 under and win by five strokes.

“In front of a home crowd, it’s always really hard for me to keep everything under control and to play the weekend that I did for them,” Rahm said.

“I can’t wait to come back next year and hopefully do it three times. It was unlike anything else. Spanish crowds love golf, they love us coming back. It’s hard to believe how many people come out here.”

Rafa Cabrera Bello (66) was second, followed by another Spaniard, Samuel del Val (68), who was seven strokes back at the Club de Campo Villa.

Starting with a commanding five-shot lead, Rahm had an eagle and four birdies to go with one bogey on the final day.

Rahm shot an eight-under 63 on Saturday to match the course record.

Following Dramatic Playoff, Garcia Wins First Major Title at The Masters

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Sergio Garcia is seeing green… Finally!

The 37-year-old Spanish golfer finally proved he can win a major, and he now has the iconic green jacket to prove it.

Sergio Garcia

Needing his best golf on just about every shot in the final hour at The Masters, Garcia overcame a two-shot deficit with six holes left to play and beat Justin Rose in a sudden-death playoff Sunday for his first major after nearly two decades of heartache.

No one ever played more majors as a pro — 70 — before winning one for the first time.

Garcia was able to get rid of the demons and the doubts with two big moments on the par 5s — one a par, the other an eagle — in closing with a 3-under 69. It was never easy until the end, when Rose sent his drive into the trees on the 18th hole in the playoff, punched out and failed to save par from 15 feet.

That gave Garcia two putts from 12 feet for the victory, and his putt swirled into the cup for a birdie. He crouched in disbelief, and shouted above the loudest roar of the day.

Sergio Garcia

Rose, who also closed with a 69, lovingly patted Garcia’s cheek before they embraced. Rose then tapped Garcia on the heart, which turned out to be a lot bigger than anyone realized.

“Ser-gee-oh! Ser-gee-oh!” the delirious gallery chanted to Garcia, who couldn’t contain his emotion.

Garcia turned with his arms to his side, blew a kiss to the crowd and then crouched again and slammed his fist into the turf of the green.

All that Spanish passion was on display, raw as ever, this time sheer joy.

Garcia became the third Spaniard in a green jacket, winning on what would have been the 60th birthday of the late Seve Ballesteros. And it was Jose Maria Olazabal, who won the Masters in 1994 and 1999, who sent him a text on the eve of the Masters telling Garcia to believe and “to not let things get to me like I’ve done in the past.”

He didn’t get down after missing a 6-foot putt on the 16th hole, or missing a 5-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole in regulation.

His chin was up and he battled to the end.

“If there’s anyone to lose to, it’s Sergio. He deserves it,” Rose said. “He’s had his fair share of heartbreak.”

This was shaping up as another, especially after Garcia watched a three-shot lead disappear as quickly as it took Rose to run off three straight birdies on the front nine.

Tied going to the back nine, Garcia immediately fell two shots behind with wild shots into the pine straw bed under the trees. Rose was poised to deliver a knockout on the par-5 13th when Garcia went left beyond the creek and into a bush. He had to take a penalty shot to get out and hit his third shot 89 yards short of the green. Rose was just over the back of the green in two, on the verge of turning a two-shot lead into four.

Everyone figured this was coming, right? Garcia himself had said, in a moment of self-pity, that he didn’t have what it takes to win a major. Four times he was runner-up. This was his third time playing in the final group.

But right when it looked to be over, momentum shifted to Garcia.

He hit wedge to 7 feet and escaped with par. Rose rolled his chip down to 5 feet and missed the birdie putt. The lead stayed at two shots but not for long. Garcia birdied the 14th. His 8-iron into the par-5 15th landed inches in front of the hole and nicked the pin, and he holed the 14-foot eagle putt to tie for the lead.

Rose took the lead with an 8-foot birdie on the 16th and gave it back by missing a 7-foot par putt on the 18th.

Not since 1998 have the last two players on the course gone to the 18th tied for the lead, and both had their chances to win. Rose’s approach hit off the side of the bunker and kicked onto the green, stopping 7 feet away. Garcia answered with a wedge that covered the flag and settled 5 feet away.

Both missed.

The playoff didn’t last long. Rose was in trouble from the start with an errant tee shot, and Garcia didn’t waste the opportunity.