166 reasons why Jon Rahm will be heading to the Ryder Cup again as a major European weapon

Daily Record

22-05-2025

Resurgent Spanish star gave every correct signal to skipper Luke Donal
Firing Jon Rahm is booked for Bethpage and there are 166 reasons which prove he can be a Euro talisman again.
Captain Luke Donald made it crystal clear last week in the lead-up to the PGA Championship that no-one is guaranteed a place in his Ryder Cup side at this stage.
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Naturally, there will be six automatic from the qualification points system, but no quiet assurances handed to anyone else for the September showdown. Too early for that, says the boss. But the sight of Rahm in full flow again with the fires raging across a major championship venue once more in the heart of the fight at Quail Hollow is surely all the skipper needed to see.
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One moment, in particular, stood out like torch. Saturday evening, under the third-round gun on the back nine, pressure on and the stresses of the Major title on the race, the competitive flames which the critics said had been doused in the Spaniard by his switch to LIV Golf were emanating heat across North Carolina.
This is where it mattered and, standing on the 16th fairway with the serious charge on, Rahm stood in the middle of it with 166 yards to the flag and a nine-iron in his hand.
Trouble both sides, water in play, yet perfection. The former Masters and US Open champion's words. As good a nine-iron as he's hit 'in the past four or five years' he said afterwards.
Right there, any doubts any snipers had about whether still had it when it mattered were put to bed in an instant and Donald would have lapped it up.
No amount of data coming out of LIV Golf could have given any clearer a message that the Spaniard still has the same skills and competitive edge as he had when he left, just two months after being Europe's star man in the whipping of the States in Rome.
Rahm was the ultimate gladiator that week. Near aces, chip-ins, holing bombs from all over Marco Simeone, he clubbed the Americans, literally. Just as his fierce fires saw him club an advertising hoarding to the chagrin of Brooks Koepka on their way to the 18th tee on Saturday morning in Italy.
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Forget Rahm's late falter down The Green Mile on Sunday. Bad luck denied him birdies on the 14th and 15h when he needed them and he was left to push down three holes where that is a dangerous business. It said everything. No point being second. You are well finishing 122nd in his world.
Donald needs warriors in New York and, while there are issues over fines and appeals and politics, the captain has made it clear that's not business.
One simple comment he made at Quail Hollow when discussing this situation said it all. He said that Ryder Cup Europe chief Guy Kinnings has been fully aware that he wants his best 12 on that flight to the USA.
Liv or no LIV, Rahm is amongst that best 12. And that was shown from 166 when it really, really counted. Just as it will in Bethpage.