World quantity six Jon Rahm believes it could be “incredible” if he may win a 3rd Spanish Open title to match the tally of the late Seve Ballesteros.
Ballesteros received his nationwide open in 1981, 1985 and 1995 and Rahm is a prohibitive 9/4 favorite to emulate his compatriot this week at Club de Campo in Madrid, the place he efficiently defended the title in 2019.
Rahm has expressed considerations about plans for the PGA Tour’s greatest gamers to face one another a minimum of 20 instances a yr, however the former US Open champion has pledged to proceed to help Spanish occasions on the DP World Tour.
“As a Spanish player it is my duty and if I can only come to one, then I will come to one,” stated Rahm, who completed joint second within the BMW PGA Championship on his final begin due to a closing 62 at Wentworth. “I will try what I can to play and to support my country.
“I am aware of the impact a player like me can have and I have seen it every time I come, so like I said, I take it upon me as a duty to be able to come and try to perform and give them four days of entertainment and something to look forward too.
“Luckily for me I have been able to put my name on that trophy a couple of times and being able to equal Seve with three wins would be incredible.
“For me, the legacy you leave is very important. With the tournament’s ties with the RFEG (Spanish Golf Federation), being able to win it is very important for me.
“I remember when I won the Under-18 Spanish Championship at Club de Campo it was a really significant moment in my career.”
Rahm’s compatriot Rafa Cabrera Bello will defend the title he received final yr by beating one other Spaniard, Adri Arnaus, on the primary play-off gap to finish a exceptional return to type after claiming only one worldwide prime 10 in 2021.
Cabrera noticed his two-shot lead disappear with a double bogey on the primary gap of the ultimate spherical, however recovered to pressure a play-off due to an outstanding sand save for par on the 18th, earlier than making a birdie on the primary further gap.
“It was very special,” he stated. “It was clearly a match that was on my bucket record.
To birdie the primary (play-off) gap and to win it, it was a dream come true
Rafa Cabrera Bello
“I got here last year and I was a little bit lost with my game, not really understanding where the golf ball wanted to go and somehow I managed to gain that confidence and to feel competitive again that week.
“It was just an amazing week, the way it all happened and the rollercoaster that was that 72nd hole and the play-off. After the tee shot, it looked lost and then I managed to make an amazing par save to get into the play-off, so to birdie the first hole and to win it, it was a dream come true.
“This is not my quote because I think Seve (Ballesteros) said this, but I think that some tournaments you win with skill, some tournaments you win with your heart, and I felt like this tournament last year I won with my heart.”
Source: www.impartial.co.uk
