Jon Rahm on playing in this week's RBC Heritage: 'Kids want to see the Masters champion'
- Michael Schmitt
- 13 April 2023
Despite having only gotten minimal sleep after celebrating his Masters win on Sunday, the top-ranked golfer in the world, Jon Rahm, will be playing in the RBC Heritage less than a week later.
Rahm clinched his second major championship with a four-stroke victory at Augusta, successfully fending off challengers from LIV Golfers Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson. Despite acknowledging feeling exhausted from the "grueling week," Rahm made the decision to not withdraw from the RBC Heritage.
On the other hand, Rory McIlroy, a four-time major champion, chose to pull out of the tournament after not making the cut at the Masters, but Rahm has insisted on competing.
"If I was one of the kids, I would want to see the recent Masters champion play," Rahm said ahead of the start of the tournamet on Tuesday.
"I know it's a few days after the Masters, but it feels a little bit different," he continued.
"I slept terrible. Night after wins, I don't know if it's the adrenaline or whatever it is, I've never been able to sleep good at all. The next night, Monday night, I slept great and still woke up tired.
"It's getting better every day. It was a very demanding week, a lot going on with the weather and a lot of fighting and a lot of work mentally obviously. So it's going to take a little bit to get to a good spot, but I'm feeling good."
Rahm also admitted that he had considered withdrawing from the tournament, but ultimately opted to stay after consulting with his wife Kelley.
"It did cross my mind, but I made a commitment earlier in the year, and I want to honour that commitment," he added.
"I also, talking to Kelley, I put myself in the shoes of not only the spectators, but the kids as well. If I was one of the kids, I would want to see the recent Masters champion play, good or bad, just want to be there."
Since he has decided to participate, the Spaniard could potentially secure another jacket, this time a Heritage Plaid one to go along with the green one he won last week.
"I still intend to hopefully do the jacket double and take this one home, but it did cross my mind [to withdraw] and obviously I think it would have crossed anybody's because I was so tired.
"But that's why I decided to come in yesterday [Tuesday] afternoon and take it easier and just give my body a rest before I got into competition mode. I can promise you that every time I tee it up in a tournament, it's going to be to win. I intend to try my hardest to win."
The RBC Heritage starts on Thursday, with Rahm set to tee off with the afternoon starters later in the day.
