Jon Rahm talks tips from Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus, Ryder Cup hopes and possible Rory McIlroy rampage
The LIV star is looking for a huge display at PGA and has some wise words to call upon
Driven Jon Rahm reckons old tips from Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus can help him produce a huge run at Quail Hollow as he senses an imminent Rory McIlroy rampage.
The Spaniard heads into the PGA Championship showpiece aiming to grab a third Major championship of his career having bagged a Masters and a US Open. Rahm has targets and says listening to old tales from the greats on techniques they use to get jobs done offers inspiration.
The LIV star, who also discussed Ryder Cup hopes, recounted watching old R&A videos with past Open champs and said: 'I just think it's really cool to hear the stories from the older generations. A few of the more active ones I've been able to speak to about it, like Phil [Mickelson]. A lot of what he says in that video, I've actually spoken to him about it and I got direct from him.
'I think it's really cool to watch Lee Trevino's. His storytelling ability is up there, so it makes it really entertaining. What I mentioned about Padraig [Harrington] is you get an insight into this player's minds. It's not always going to be applicable to what you have in mind, but you get to see how they thought and there's always certain things they say in certain moments that are quite interesting.
'I think it might have been the 2005 Open in St Andrews where Tiger said whoever played seven through 12 the best is going to win that major. I thought it was quite interesting to hear something like that, when you still had 13 through 18, which, with the wrong wind, are actually the harder holes. It was interesting to hear something like that.
'One of the years, I forget the year, Lee speaks about him getting ready for the Open in Texas and it was so windy in the dust. He was wearing goggles and then they get to the tournament side and it was dead calm for four days. It's just things that you can't really prepare for.
'One of the best ones that helped me was Jack, when he won in Muirfield. How he says, I think he was one back, I forget the actual details on that, but he says how he had three holes left and he thought to himself:
'If I finish 4-3-4, which would have been birdie-par-par, he said you'll win the Open. He finishes 4-3-4 and wins the Open. I thought that was quite interesting and I've thought about something like that in the past as well for myself. Going on the stretch, or whatever it may be, if we get this, we win.
'I think I told Tyrrell [Hatton] that on the Ryder Cup. I think we were playing Xander [Schauffele] and Patrick [Cantlay] and we were all square on 16, and I told him, 3-3-4, we don't lose. Luckily, we went 3-2 and we ended up winning. I've definitely used that in the past, it's kind of setting the target out there in your mind and it has helped.
'It's not something that I thought anything of when I heard it, but when I was in the course, it was a nice memory to have and to remember.'
On the Ryder Cup, Rahm would not be pushed on whether Luke Donald has told he's in the side for September's clash at Bethpage. He said: 'That's a question for Luke. It's his team.
'Hopefully I can qualify and we don't have to question it. I would like to personally think that I am, but it's not up to me. It's not up to me to say. I'm not going to say anything about that.'
Rahm, meanwhile, believes Rory McIlroy c ould go on the rampage having secured his Grand Slam success at last month's Masters. He said: 'To be honest, if that Masters in 2011 had gone his way, I think he would have achieved so much more than he has already.
'I think it's been a very difficult hurdle to overcome and you could see his emotion towards the end just because how it went down.
'I understand he won the US Open shortly after by a record margin, but every time he went to Augusta, that was in his mind. And it's funny to me, when you see Rory's game, every time I went down to Augusta National, I'm like, if there's ever a golf course that is perfect for this man who can hit a high draw on command better than anybody else, has great hands, a great touch, it's him.
'And he's had so many chances. It's just never easy. I would not be one bit surprised if this lifted a weight off his shoulder that could get him going on another run.'
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