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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Jon Rahm wanted this PGA Championship as badly as any tournament he’d ever played.
He spoke on Saturday about how “hungry’’ he was to “close out the Spanish Grand Slam,’’ saying, “We’re just missing the PGA.’’
“I would be the first since Seve [Ballesteros] to win three majors, and I would be the first Spanish player to get three different majors,’’ he went on. “It’s hard to explain what that would mean. It would be a dream come true.’’
But the dream died on the “Green Mile,’’ the treacherous final three holes at Quail Hollow.
“It was really close,’’ Rahm said Sunday after his round. “God, it’s been a while since I had that much fun on a golf course … for 15 holes.’’
If Rahm hadn’t had to play the “Green Mile’’ stretch, he might have realized his dream.
But 16, 17 and 18 happened and Rahm went 4-over par on them, dashing his chances of overtaking winner Scottie Scheffler. Rahm, who’d tied Scheffler with a birdie on the 11th hole, his third birdie in four holes, finished 4-under, seven shots behind Scheffler.
“The last three holes … it’s a tough pill to swallow right now,’’ Rahm said. “A lot of positives to take from this week, but pretty fresh wound right now. But there’s been a lot of good happening this week and a lot of positive feelings to take for the rest of the year.’’
He said he knew exactly what position he was in, playing two holes ahead of Scheffler.
“You know what position you’re in because, even if you don’t want to look at leaderboards, the crowd lets you know,’’ Rahm said. “Like on 12 green when I hit my putt, at the same time I heard a cheer from 10. I was fully aware that was a Scottie birdie.’’
Rahm said “if there [was] ever a time where it felt like it was slipping away’’ it was failing to birdie 14, the short par-4, and 15, a gettable par-5.
“That was definitely the mistake before, obviously, finishing poorly,’’ he said.
Asked if nerves came into play once he’d climbed into contention, the always transparent Rahm said, “If there’s ever somebody that’s sitting right here that tells you nerves weren’t a part of it, they’re clearly lying.
“It’s the main thing we do as a professional sport. It’s controlling what goes through your mind. So, yeah, I think it was a bit of nerves. I can’t pinpoint exactly right now. I didn’t feel like I rushed anything. I didn’t feel like the process was bad. So, that’s something that I can’t quite tell you right now. I might need to think about it for a little bit.
“This is the first time I’ve been in position to win a major that close and haven’t done it. I think [it’s] the only time I’ve been in the lead in a major on a Sunday [and not won].”
“I’ve been able to close it out, and this is a very different situation.’’
A painful one.
English (US)