Jon Rahm returns to roots in opening 64 at Mexico Open at Vidanta

VIDANTA VALLARTA, Mexico – Anytime Jon Rahm arrives in Mexico, he feels a trace of nostalgia.

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As an Arizona State junior, Rahm made his PGA TOUR debut at the 2014 World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba. He missed the cut, including a penalty in the second round for the “only time in my life where I made a practice swing chipping and the ball moved,” but looks back fondly on the week. He channeled the experience into his next TOUR start, finishing T5 at the WM Phoenix Open the following February.

Fast forward seven-plus years, and Rahm is among the game’s elite. He’s a six-time TOUR winner, including the 2021 U.S. Open, and he stands No. 2 on the Official World Golf Ranking.

Among the milestones eluding Rahm: a title in Mexico. He has been close, with two third-place showings at the WGC-Mexico Championship at Chapultepec.

Rahm aims to change that. He has started strong at the Mexico Open at Vidanta, the event’s first appearance on the PGA TOUR schedule in a history dating back to 1944.

Propelled by a chip-in birdie at the par-3 13th hole – his fourth of the day – and an eagle at the short par-4 seventh, Rahm opened in 7-under 64 at Vidanta Vallarta, sharing the opening-round lead on a sun-kissed Thursday on the western Mexico coast.

Also carding 64 were Jonathan Byrd, Brendon Todd, Trey Mullinax, Bryson Nimmer and Kurt Kitayama.

Rahm was asked early in the week about how he game-plans for a new course, and he replied that “plan A is to hit driver everywhere.”

With generally wide fairways, Vidanta Vallarta lends itself to aggressive play, matching Rahm’s ethos.

“Really comfortable off the tee,” said Rahm after completing his opening round Thursday. “Not like it’s ever bad, but today felt especially comfortable. It’s not the most demanding course off the tee, besides 10 and maybe 1 … you’re not really in real danger of being in bad position, but even though it’s generous, when I’m hitting shots with the trajectory and the ball flight that I wanted, it just gives me more confidence for every other shot.”

Rahm hasn’t missed a cut on TOUR since the Fortinet Championship in September, but he also hasn’t won on TOUR since the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines last June. He admitted this week that his game hasn’t been at its best, numbers-wise, but said he feels confident about his prospects for the coming months.

Perhaps a return to the country of his first TOUR start will provide the proper boost for a return to the winner’s circle.

With one round in the books at the Mexico Open, he’s on pace to do just that.

“There’s no trick; you have to go out there and try to win,” Rahm said this week of advice he would give to players making their TOUR debut. “Don’t come trying to make the cut. If you’re playing, play to win. If not, don’t play. I think that is the mindset they should have.

“If they’re invited, they’re probably good enough to be out here, so just believe what you can do and try to win.”

This weekend, Rahm will aim to channel his own perspective.