Rahm resists urge to skip RBC Heritage and targets jacket double
Masters champion Jon Rahm is gunning for a "jacket double" in the RBC Heritage after resisting the temptation to follow Rory McIlroy's lead and skip the trip to Hilton Head.
The world number one, who admitted he's already given some thought to next year's Champions Dinner menu at Augusta National, is determined not just to parade himself at Harbor Town Golf Links but contend for champion's tartan jacket and his fifth win from 10 starts this year.
Top players can skip one of the 17 designated events and still receive their PIP money. But while Rahm had a chance to do so this week, having played all seven so far, he decided to make the short trip to South Carolina.
"It did cross my mind, but I made a commitment earlier in the year, and I want to honour that commitment," Rahm said. "I also, talking to (my wife) Kelley, I put myself in the shoes of not only the spectators but the kids as well.
"If I was one of the kids, I would want to see the recent Masters champion play good or bad, just want to be there. I still intend to hopefully do the jacket double and taking this one home. I'm not going to parade myself, right? But it did cross my mind, and obviously, I think it would have crossed anybody's because I was so tired.
"But that's why I decided to come in yesterday afternoon and take it easier and just give my body a rest before I got into competition mode."
Mentally exhausted after a draining week at Augusta National, he was delighted to receive many messages of congratulations.
"The one I was thrilled to hear from, Rafael Nadal left me a very nice voice message," Rahm said. "I've seen him do unbelievable things, and I've texted him every time. He left me a very nice message."
While he was already a Major winner, being Masters champion has an extra cachet and he noticed the difference during the Pro-Am.
"I know it's a few days after the Masters, but it feels a little bit different," he said. "I've never had as many people watching me in the Pro-Am unless it's the Phoenix Open. That's today. If you're talking percentage-wise, it's been very, very special."
As the fourth Spaniard to win the Masters, he's already given the Champion's Dinner some thought.
"I think this is the part of the week that I've given the most amount of thought already," he said. "I don't know exactly. Chef Jose Andres is a really good friend of mine, so I'll be working with him.
"I also want to talk to Ollie, because we're from the same part of Spain, to see what he did in his dinner, see if I can go a different route. I think I have one of the appetisers down, which would be jamón, Spanish ham, the dessert, which I won't be disclosing, and the wine.
"Everything in between is still up in the air. Those three things, I think I have down for now."
No fewer than 38 of the world's top 50 are competing with Shane Lowry, who tied for third behind Jordan Spieth last year, looking for his first win on US soil since the 2015 Bridgestone Invitational.
Lowry, who is joined in the field by Séamus Power, yesterday committed to playing the Horizon Irish Open at The K Club from September 6-10.
Stephanie Meadow, meanwhile, plays the LPGA Tour's Lotte Championship in Hawaii as Leona Maguire rests before next week's opening women's Major, The Chevron Championship at The Woodlands in Texas.
