Scintillating Seve-style victory for Rahm at 24-under par!

The Irish Open must have one of the longest tournament titles in golfing history.  Officially known as ‘The Dubai Duty Free Irish Open Hosted by the Rory Foundation’ – the 90-year old championship has a full sponsorship name with which many a golf commentator would struggle should they be financially obliged to constantly repeat it during broadcasts.  Only a tipple or two of Irish whiskey could possibly help them survive the week!

 

Yes, indeed, the Irish Open has a tournament title to conjure with.  And that’s exactly what a young Spaniard by the name of Jon Rahm did at the weekend (6-9 July).  Thirty four years after the great Seve Ballesteros won his first of three Irish Opens, Rahm shot a brilliant 65 on Sunday to get to a magnificent tally of 24-under par and win the championship by six shots.

 

It is the 22-year old Spanish golf talent’s first victory on the European Tour.  Not only that, the winning score he crafted over the par-72 links course of Portstewart in Northern Ireland of 24-under par (65,67,67, 65) is the lowest score ever-recorded in the history of the Irish Open – by three shots.

 

Rahm played like a dream.  Even on the grey and drizzly final day when he teed-off as joint overnight leader.  An eagle at the par 5, 4th set-up his victory, followed later by a second eagle at the par-5, 15th.  The Spaniard was on fire on the front nine.  A run of birdies at 7, 8 and 9 saw him go out in 31.  At the 10th he made another birdie.  With such a stunning score, it is difficult to imagine that there were any blemishes on his card.  But remarkably there were.  He made bogey at the 16th and then, two holes later, with victory well and truly already in the bag, he missed a tiddler of a putt for par at the last.

 

It was a phenomenal closing round of 65 to clinch his first title.  Lucky for Rahm the Irish Open is one of the richly-rewarded events in the European Tour’s new Rolex Series.  But before he heads back to Barrika in Spain with the Waterford Crystal Trophy and more than a million euros in prizemoney, there’s more links golf for the young Spaniard to relish in the United Kingdom over the next two weeks:

 

The Scottish Open at Dundonald Links (13-16 July)

The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale (20-23 July)

 

We have just one thing to say to you Jon Rahm, 2017 Irish Open Champion: “You’re a class act! Congratulations!”

 

Wendy Hoad

 

 

PICTURED:  Spaniard Jon Rahm receiving the Irish Open Waterford Crystal Trophy.