Javier Ballesteros: “Jon Rahm, it was exciting”

Javier Ballesteros, golf professional and son of Severiano Ballesteros, wrote about Jon Rahm. “It was very exciting to see Jon win the Masters on Sunday, I didn’t miss a single shot in the final, and the truth is that seeing a Spanish winner again in Augusta after Sergio in 2017, and that they both achieved it on the day of my father’s birthday, because it fills me with pride and I’m sure my father would be very happy, and pushing from above, as Jon Rahm highlighted in his speech. I always say it, he is the best on the golf course but he is also an example for children and people in general outside of it. I can say loud and clear that Spain has, in addition to a super golfer, a super sportsman”.

Javier Ballesteros, statements

“If you can win the four ‘big’? Man, I don’t have a magic ball to know for sure but he certainly has all the qualities to conquer a few more ‘majors’. Winning all four is not easy, only five golfers in all of history have achieved it, and there are several who tried and couldn’t, such as Arnold Palmer and Tom Watson, and more recently Phil Mickelson or Rory McIlroy, but it is true that he already has two, half way. He treasures all of these qualities and more to earn what he wants and sets out to do in the next decade. When asked what I would highlight about Jon’s game, I should answer: “everything”. He has no weak points, spectacular off the tee, very good with the irons, the short stroke and the putt. And he is also very strong mentally. But one of the things that he would point out is the short swing that he takes from him because of his clubfoot. That will allow you to play many years without wear. He will ‘age’ very well because this short swing does not require as pronounced joint mobility as with the conventional swing”.

“I was lucky enough to meet him personally when we organized the Seve & Jon golf for kids with my father’s foundation and the truth is that it was a great experience. I would say that there are not many cracks that are, for example, in a certain tournament for more than an hour signing autographs for the kids after the return, as long as it takes, until all the children have their signature. Jon is a very close uncle, I had the opportunity to play some holes with him on his day in Neguri, near where he was born, and seeing him up close impressed me. In addition to being close, he is humble and very nice. His parents, Edorta and Angela, and his brother are also very close and affable people and they surely now enjoy a well-deserved feeling of happiness. Very good people. Lastly, I would like to say that the fact that after 44 years of my father’s first ‘big’, the 1979 British Open at Royal Lyham, Spanish golf continues to be successful is something incredible. It doesn’t happen in all sports. The only but, or the only pity, is that after all these successes golf is not more popular in Spain, but even so we are in very good hands with Jon and a great generation of golfers is behind him”.