"It's a pity"- Jon Rahm reminisces missing out on Spanish Open win just after the birth of his child
Jon Rahm battled his way into the Spanish Open field and narrowly missed winning the tournament. The championship required a playoff to determine the winner between Rahm and Angel Hidalgo. Despite a valiant effort, Rahm ultimately fell short in the playoff.
Rahm was not originally scheduled to participate in this event. He had severed ties with the DP World Tour and had unpaid fines due to his departure. Additionally, his wife gave birth to their third child shortly before the tournament commenced on Thursday.
Here's what he had to say after missing out on the title by a whisker (via ASAP Sports):
"Thinking that on Tuesday morning I was still in the hospital in another country, on the other side of the Atlantic, in the end, I’m happy. It's a pity to have lost in the playoff and not have been able to do better today."
Rahm shot well, finishing 14 under par for the weekend. He was four shots clear of everyone except Hidalgo, who shot one better in the playoff to earn a victory.
"I can't say it has been a bad week. I gave myself a chance to win, which is what I wanted. I gave it my all until the end, and I'm proud of myself," the Spanish added.
The 29-year-old had previously expressed his belief that it would be disservice to both himself and Spanish golf if he were barred from participating in this tournament. His desire was granted, and he narrowly missed securing a remarkable victory.
The golfer believes that the week of competition, which culminated in a thrilling and action-packed tournament, is beneficial for Spanish golf as a whole. Rahm added that regardless of the winner, the children watching at home benefited from witnessing a high-quality tournament with an exciting finish.
Jon Rahm praises Angel Hidalgo after playoff loss
Jon Rahm came up one shot short in the playoff against Angel Hidalgo. He was the defending champion of the Spanish Open, and he was frustratingly close to defending his crown.
Despite the disappointment, he had words of praise for Hidalgo.
"May he enjoy it. Winning at home, winning a Spanish Open with all the support that there has been. You could tell how much he felt it and how important it was for him. May he learn from these moments and enjoy them," he said. (via ASAP Sports)
Rahm entered the final round two strokes behind and managed to close the gap sufficiently to force a playoff with Hidalgo, but ultimately fell short of securing a victory.
Both golfers finished with a total score of 270 across the four rounds of golf, which was not enough to separate them. The Spaniard will now focus on the Dunhill Championship as his next opportunity to earn Ryder Cup points.