Count Jon Rahm as one player who loves playing at the raucous Waste Management Phoenix Open, but even the World No. 3 prefers it in small doses — “it’s one week a year.”
Rahm made the comments Wednesday ahead of this week’s newly designated event at TPC Scottsdale. Rahm, the FedEx Cup leader, is among the top players in the world vying for the elevated $20 million purse and $3.6 million winner’s check.
He is one of 22 players among the top 25 in the Official World Golf Ranking in the field.
“I think this was a designated event before we ever knew what they were going to be,” Rahm said. “No matter what the purse is, this tournament is going to be what it is. Very few sporting events in the world can comfortably happen in the same week as the Super Bowl and still have the impact that they have like this one.”
Super Bowl LVII will take place Sunday in Glendale, 20 miles from Scottsdale.
“With that said, I don’t think it’s everybody’s favorite,” Rahm added. “I think either you love it or hate it. There’s no in between. With my case, I love it. I want to come every year.”
Rahm was asked if some players who fall on the hate side of it just don’t care for the craziness of the party atmosphere generated by hundreds of thousands of spectators.
“Whatever it may be, yeah. Since I came first time eight years ago … it’s gotten exponentially louder and louder. It’s been a significant difference every year. I get it,” Rahm said.
“(On) 16 last year when Justin Thomas chipped in, I didn’t want to see the water bottle coming straight for my head from the third story, but I did see it, so hopefully those are things they rein back on and keep it strictly about the game, but again, those are things people don’t want to deal with on a regular basis.
“It’s one week a year, so I think a lot of us welcome it for one week,” Rahm said.
–Field Level Media