Rahm finds self with down time before Ryder Cup
Jon Rahm of Spain, the world’s top-ranked player, gave Fortinet Championship officials welcome star power at the top of their marquee this week in Napa.
But he didn’t even make it to the weekend.
Rahm, two days days after withdrawing from the pro-am because of stomach issues, missed the cut Friday at Silverado Resort. So instead of spending four days sharpening his game ahead of next week’s Ryder Cup, he found himself with unexpected down time before he heads to Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.
“Well, I’ve got two more days off,” Rahm said after his 1under-par 71. “I think it’s primarily rest. I feel like with having those stomach issues early (this week), I wasn’t nearly as rested as I could have been. My body got a little bit tight, but I’m feeling good today.”
Rahm shot even-par 72 on Thursday, then struggled to mount a charge Friday. He made only five birdies over 36 holes, missing a PGA Tour cut for the second time this year; he also missed it at the event in Charlotte in May.
This will be Rahm’s second Ryder Cup appearance, after he went 1-2 in the 2018 edition in suburban Paris. His game seems well-suited to the matchplay format, given his power off the tee and fiery personality.
Spain has a storied Ryder Cup history, mostly through Seve Ballesteros and Sergio Garcia. Rahm stands next in line, though he acknowledged needing to resolve some swing issues after a frustrating visit to Northern California.
“I get to rest a couple extra days and figure out what’s going on with my swing, which technically is not really anything bad,” he said. “I think a lot of those swings were made to look worse because of how tough it is (at Silverado). It’s firm, fast and the fairways are hard to hit.”
Rahm, 26, has spent nine consecutive weeks at No. 1 in the world ranking, since he tied for third at the British Open. He won his first major championship in June, at the U.S. Open in San Diego.