Talking Golf With The Golf Guy-Season 5 Episode 16 With Jon Rahm
in Blog, Podcasts by Jeff Waters

Talking Golf With The Golf Guy-Season 5 Episode 16 With Jon Rahm

In 2016, when Jon Rahm was a fourth-year senior at Arizona State University and winning the Pac-12 Championship at the Country Club in Salt Lake City, he was also the #1 ranked player in the World Amateur Golf Rankings.

A position he held for total of 60 weeks, an all-time record.

DUBLIN, OHIO – JULY 19: Jon Rahm of Spain celebrates with the trophy after winning during the final round of The Memorial Tournament on July 19, 2020 at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

He also won the Ben Hogan Award twice, in 2015 and 2016, symbolic of the best collegiate golfer in the land, an NCAA Regional Championship, and the Mark H. McCormack Medal as the leading player in the World Amateur Golf Rankings.

This immense talent, coupled with the fact he attended all four years of college in Phoenix, Arizona, winning 11 college golf tournaments, second all-time only to Phil Mickelson, fell in love and met his wife, elected to stay and call the area his American home, probably had a lot to do with his incredible success in college and amateur golf.

Those statistics and his past history of achievement, accompanied with his winning the 2020 Memorial Golf Tournament this past Sunday and earning the #1 ranking in Professional Golf, should come as no surprise to anyone paying attention.

DUBLIN, OHIO – JULY 19: Jon Rahm of Spain celebrates with the winner’s trophy, Jack Nicklaus, Barbara Nicklaus and Jack Nicklaus II after winning in the final round of The Memorial Tournament on July 19, 2020 at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

With his win at Muirfield Village on the golf course Jack Nicklaus built in Dublin Ohio, and speeded up to approach Open Championship standards, Rahm becomes only the second Spaniard to reach #1 in the world, behind his hero Seve Ballesteros, the 10th European, and, at 25 years of age, becomes the 5th youngest player of all-time to be awarded this ranking behind, Tiger Woods, Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy, and Justin Thomas.

And, with this victory, becomes only the fourth player in history to have a win in each of the last four seasons on the PGA Tour, joining Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson, and Bryson DeChambeau.

Given his drive, fortitude, talent, and the burning desire to be the best in the world, his stay atop the world rankings might just be for awhile.

Please listen in as I join the Champions press conference at the conclusion of Jon Rahm’s historic win this past Sunday.

Please Listen Here.

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Jeff Waters, MBA, is a PGA Master Professional and the President/CEO of Rocky Mountain Golf Enterprises, a Utah-licensed and registered corporation that uses golf as a marketing tool. With over fifty years of experience in the golf industry, Jeff has worn many hats in diverse roles, including as a player, teacher, Head Professional, administrator, and small business owner. Jeff's extensive background includes ten years as a competitive player, ten years as a Head Golf Professional, overseeing the entire golf course operation, three years as the Director of Player Development for Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation, managing, directing, and supervising multiple golf course programs, and over thirty years as a golf coach and instructor at Rocky Mountain Golf Academy, teaching the game. His elite professional status as a fully trained and certified PGA Master Professional highlights his commitment to the sport. This prestigious designation is merited by a small and exclusive group of Golf Professionals worldwide. This wealth of experience in both the sport and business of golf has established Jeff as a highly skilled and knowledgeable expert and one of America's most qualified and accomplished Golf Professionals. In addition to his practical experience, Jeff has a robust academic background, including a BS in Political Science from the University of Utah, graduate studies in Economics and Commercial Recreation, at that school, and a Master's in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. He has also taught undergraduate courses at the University of Utah's College of Health and served as an adjunct professor at Granite Peaks Community School. As a well-known media personality, Jeff's versatility in the golf industry is evident through his work as a celebrated broadcast journalist and radio host. He has traveled extensively nationwide, announcing major sporting events at arenas, ballparks, stadiums, and golf courses for national media outlets and syndicated on the Rocky Mountain Golf Radio Network. A member of the Golf Writers Association of America, Jeff regularly contributes editorial pieces to national print publications and has authored multiple books, essays, and short stories. His work has appeared in numerous domestic and regional periodicals and magazines, such as Utah Golf News, Rocky Mountain Golfer, Golf Today, Utah Fairways, Jackson Hole Golf News, and Utah Golf Magazine. He has also contributed to blogs, podcasts, internet forums, and his website at www.jeffgolfguy.com. Jeff's unwavering dedication and service to the golf industry continue to inspire others, underscoring his deep commitment and affection for the sport, business, and recreation of golf.