Jon Rahm will play an event the week before the Masters Tournament for the first time in seven years at LIV Golf Miami on Friday, and the Spaniard believes it’s the perfect tonic for clearing up his mind ahead of his title defence.
The 29-year-old became the fourth Spaniard to win the first Major Championship of the season last year, cruising to a four-stroke triumph over fellow LIV golf members Brooks Kopeka and Phil Mickelson.
Just as he had done the previous six years, Rahm opted out of competing the week before the showdown at Augusta National in 2023 to ensure he was in the best shape possible, but this year he doesn’t have that choice after signing up for the LIV Golf League in December.
The circuit plays its fifth event of the season from Friday, with LIV Golf Miami following stops in Mayakoba, Las Vegas, Jeddah and Hong Kong.
“Is that true, '17?,” Rahm responded when asked how his approach had changed this week following years of not competing the week before the Masters Tournament.
“The process has been the same. At the end of the day, it's how you take advantage of the situation and how you prepare leading into this week. I actually was glad to have a tournament this week because going into Augusta defending is really the first Major Championship I'm depending on the venue.
“Being at home this week could have been a little more challenging trying to control those thoughts. But having competition, you just, you know, you're here to do your job and it's great practise towards next week.
“I think in any way, it's going to help.”
While the Masters Tournament is the only Major Championship to be played on the same course each year, that doesn’t mean next week’s course setup will be exactly the same as it was when Rahm won in 2023.
In fact, the course will be playing slightly longer after Augusta National extended The Masters tee box at the par-5 second hole by ten yards and moved it slightly to the left.
Rahm has already had a taste of what to expect at the new-look second hole when visiting the club on a scouting mission last week, which also helped him release a load of emotion ahead of his return to the scene of one of his greatest triumphs.
“I've been there, yeah,” said Rahm, who has won a record three DP World Tour Championship titles.
“I wanted to go back at least once before Masters week. I didn't want the first time back at Augusta National to be tournament week.
“I wanted to get a lot of those emotions out of the way, and also see the golf course, see if they have done any changes. You know, pretty quickly when the score guy came out, I got a million texts saying that it was 35 yards longer. Well, we're going to see what they added and what they changed.
“It's a bit of both, right. I'm trying to see the golf course and learn a few new things and learn what they have changed and just trying to have fun. I was able to bring one of my best friends along and share that experience with them. It was a bit of both.
“In my mind, it was getting to experience those emotions of being back, going to the Champions Locker Room and seeing my name up there, etc.”
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