“Rahm has a chance of being at the top of the world rankings for a long time”
After such a long break enforced by our unwanted visitor, we are back in business. Going up to Newcastle for the British Masters was such a strange feeling, having not been out of my Berkshire base to go anywhere for so long. Getting there was a bizarre experience and testing was stringent to say the least. Home testing was the start, then another one on arrival at the course – a guy with a stick as long as a 7-iron putting it up the nose. I’m sure there was a porcupine on the end of it when it came back out! It was brutal. Okay, so maybe I’m embellishing slightly, but it was uncomfortable to say the least.
Masks had to be worn at all times in the TV compound, social distancing was at a strict two metres and there was no prospect of leaving the premises once admitted… you wouldn’t describe it as a hoot. But it’s necessary, and everyone understands that. It was just great to be able to watch some live golf again and report on it from the fairways. That said, the fans were sorely missed and the atmosphere was obviously very different to a normal event in the north-east.
On the course, Renato Paratore played so well. It was refreshing to witness his pace of play and I have to say it was the fastest exhibition of winning I’ve ever seen. It’s not very often we speak of a player playing too fast! He literally hits his putt while his playing partner is picking his ball out of the hole. It’s quite something.
Paratore is a star, and another one from Italy. Perhaps Francesco Molinari’s success is kicking them all along. He’s only 23 and he’s already won twice on the European Tour. His driver probably needs work – he’s plenty long enough, but he’s not the most accurate – but his iron play is fantastic, his chipping is sensational and he’s a good putter. I was impressed with Paratore and I honestly think he has a chance to make the 2021 Ryder Cup team. He’s a really good player.
And the good news for European golf fans is that we have a few talented youngsters coming through. The man – barely, as he’s only 19 – who finished second at Close House was Rasmus Hojgaard. He’s a serious talent and he’s already won on the European Tour. His brother, Nicolai, was runner-up to Sergio Garcia in last year’s KLM Open and both enjoyed esteemed amateur careers. Whistling Straits might come too soon, but I could see them being paired together in Rome at the 2023
Ryder Cup. Throw Viktor Hovland into the mix and there’s plenty of cause for optimism around European golf.
On the other side of the pond, I’ve been so impressed with Collin Morikawa of late. He’s a cut machine and a two-time winner already on the PGA Tour – his latest coming in a play-off over Justin Thomas at the Workday Charity Open, where he holed a 25-footer to extend the contest after his compatriot boxed a 50-footer.
He’s the real deal and his demeanour is his main weapon. He doesn’t get flustered and that’s such an amazing attribute in today’s game. I can already picture him going head-tohead with Hovland in the Ryder Cup and we may even see that next year.
The man all these young guns are now chasing at the top of the world rankings is Jon Rahm. I said at the start of 2020 that he’d be World No.1 at the end of the year, but he’s got there with five months to spare – and with a three-month lay-off! The reason why Rahm is better than everyone else is the fact he’s got a very strong mind to go with great skill off the tee and on the greens. He used to get very irate on the course, and while the blood does still boil, he’s not like he used to be.
I think Rahm has a chance of being World No.1 for a long time. I also think he has an opportunity to get past Seve’s tally of five Majors, though admittedly his form does need to improve in the big four events. Who knows, though, he may have claimed his first at the USPGA by the time you read this.