Rahm pips Lowry for European Tour Golfer of the Year: "You could make an argument for either of us"

Jon Rahm. Picture: Getty Images

Jon Rahm claimed the 2019 Hilton European Tour Golfer of the Year Award but conceded that the prestigious prize could easily have gone to Open champion Shane Lowry.

Speaking ahead of his defence of the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas last night, the Spaniard (25) paid tribute to Lowry for his incredible win at Royal Portrush but felt that his season-ending success in Dubai tipped the scales in his favour.

"You could make an argument for either of us,” said Rahm, whose third individual win of the season in the DP World Tour Championship helped him become just the second Spaniard after Seve Ballesteros to win the Race to Dubai.

"He won Abu Dhabi, and he's the Open champion. I think I might have been a little more consistent than him. I did have three wins, but he did win The Open and that's always big.

"I think winning the Race to Dubai might have given me the edge. It could have gone either way, honestly.”

Rahm also had two runner-up finishes and another three top-10s in just 13 European Tour starts compared to two wins and just one European top-10 for Lowry from 15 starts.

The world number three came ninth in the Masters, tied for third in the US Open and closed with a 62 to win the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at Lahinch just a week after finishing second in the Andalucía Masters at Valderrama.

Open champion Shane Lowry

"I would have been perfectly happy if he had gotten it just because of how big that Open Championship win is and how he did it,” added Rahm, who confirmed he will defend his Irish Open title at Mount Juliet. "That Saturday performance was quite impressive."

Rahm finished ninth in the Masters, tied for third in the US Open and closed with a 62 to win the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at Lahinch just a week after finishing second in the Andalucía Masters at Valderrama.

He was runner-up to Danny Willett on his debut in the BMW PGA at Wentworth, successfully defended the Spanish Open title at Club de Campo and then won his second Rolex Series title of the year when he birdied the 72nd hole to claim the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai and the Race to Dubai title.

That dramatic win helped Rahm become the first Spaniard since six-time Order of Merit winner Ballesteros to win the Vardon Trophy.

"To emulate another of Seve's achievements in winning this award is very humbling, and I'm so proud of what I have achieved this year," Rahm said in the official European Tour press release on the award.

"To win both the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open and DP World Tour Championship for a second time, as well as defend the Open de España, were all incredible moments.

"But to finish the year as winner of the Race to Dubai is something I'm incredibly proud of achieving at this early stage in my career."

The media panel that chose the winner clearly had a tough choice to make.

Panellist Alistair Tait, Golfweek Senior Writer, said: “This was one of the most keenly debated Golfer of Year panels we’ve had for a number of years, with Shane Lowry’s unforgettable victory in The Open Championship at Royal Portrush the standout performance of 2019 on the European Tour and an iconic moment in our sport.

“But after much discussion, Jon’s remarkably high standard of performance across the season tipped the scales in his favour as he became only the second Spaniard after the legendary Seve to become European Number One.

“His three victories were each hugely impressive in their own right and each achieved on very different golf courses, underlining how rounded Jon is as an elite player.

“Like Seve was before him, Jon will be a central figure in European golf for many years to come, and he is a very worthy winner of the Hilton European Tour Golfer of the Year award.

Speaking in the Bahamas last night, Rahm reiterated his desire to become world number one and challenge for Major wins but he dodged a question about whether or not he would join the likes of Lowry, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Patrick Reed, Henrik Stenson, Sergio Garcia and Phil Mickelson in the controversial Saudi International from 30 January to 2 February 2020.

“I haven’t thought about my schedule next year,” he said. “The only thing I can say for sure, the tournaments I have won, I will defend. I haven’t thought that far ahead.”

Addressing the Saudi question in the light of criticism of stars such as Mickelson, Tiger Woods said: “Well, I understand the politics behind it but the game of golf can help heal all of that too. It can help grow that. There are going to be a lot of other top players playing that week too.”

There are no Irish entrants in this week's AFRASIA BANK Mauritius Open, but Portmarnock's Conor Purcell will be seeking more success in Australia, where he won the Australian Amateur title in January.

Tied 29th on his professional debut in the AVJennings NSW Open on Sunday, the Dubliner (22) joins stars Adam Scott, Sergio Garcia, Louis Oosthuizen, Paul Casey and Ernie Els in the Emirates Australian Open at The Australian in Sydney tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Pádraig Harrington and his son Paddy, and Darren Clarke and son Tyrone will tee it up in the 20-team PNC Father Son Challenge at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando this weekend.