CHARLOTTE, N.C. — John Rahm had a strong desire to succeed in this PGA Championship.
On Saturday, he talked about his “hunger” and the chance to “close out Spanish grand slams,” mentioning that they were “just missing out on the PGA.”
“I would be the first since Seve [Ballesteros] to win three majors, the first Spanish player to achieve three different majors,” he expressed. “It’s hard to explain what that would mean. It would make my dream come true.”
Unfortunately, that dream slipped away during the challenging stretch known as the “Green Mile.”
“It was really close,” Rahm reflected on Sunday after his round.
Had he avoided the difficulties of holes 16, 17, and 18, he might have realized his goal. However, those holes proved problematic, and he grappled with the prospect of overcoming them while finishing four over par, ultimately trailing the leader, Scotty Scheffler, by seven shots.
Rahm had managed to tie with Scheffler for a birdie on the 11th, but his third birdie came four holes later, sealing his fate.
“Those last three holes… it’s really tough to accept right now,” he admitted, though he noted there were many positive moments throughout the week that could bode well for the rest of the season.
He was aware of his standing and played two holes ahead of Scheffler.
“Even if you try not to look at the leaderboard, the crowd gives it away. So, you know where you stand,” Rahm said.
Reflecting on the moments when he felt the lead slipping away, he mentioned a missed opportunity on a Par-5 at 14 and a short Par-4 at 15.
“That was definitely a mistake earlier, and it certainly affected my performance,” he noted.
When asked if nerves played a role in his performance, Rahm was candid. “That’s what we deal with in professional sports—controlling what goes through your mind. So, yeah, there was a certain level of nerves. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why, and I didn’t feel rushed.”
“I think this is the first time I’ve been in this position where I led a major and didn’t close it out. It’s the only time I’ve led on a Sunday in a major and not finished it.” He took a moment to acknowledge how different this experience felt compared to his past successes.
It’s definitely disappointing.
