Jon Rahm serving up Basque banquet ahead of eagerly-awaited Masters title defence

Spaniard excited to be locking horns again with world No 1 Scottish Scheffler at Augusta National

Jon Rahm apologised for being late and also for his tie-knotting skills, having decided one was appropriate given he decided to wear the Green Jacket for his appearance on a video link for a pre-Masters media chat ahead of the season’s opening major in just three weeks’ time. He also decided something wasn’t right about the lighting in the room so adjusted that and then used the image on the screen in front of him to make sure his hair was tickety boo.

Don’t be fooled into thinking, though, that all the money he received as LIV Golf’s new star signing for the breakaway circuit’s 2024 season has changed the Spaniard and turned him into someone who now doesn’t care because nothing could be further from the truth and that was certainly evident as he went on to cover a variety of topics, including his “Basque-influenced” menu for the Champions’ Dinner at Augusta National.

We’ll get round to that as it certainly deserves to be shared, but this was the first time Rahm had really spoken outside a LIV Golf setting since he was lured to the breakaway circuit for a whopping £476 million in December and it wasn’t long into the call that he was asked to share his thoughts about his journey so far away from the PGA Tour. “It’s a little different, but I’m enjoying it” he admitted. “Hong Kong (venue for the fourth LIV event of the season recently) was exceptional fun. So far it’s been great and the golf has been good, but I’m looking forward to playing with the rest of the best players in the world.”

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 09: Jon Rahm of Spain poses with the Masters trophy during the Green Jacket Ceremony after winning the 2023 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 09, 2023 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

The 29-year-old later alluded to the fact that, in comparison to last year, he’s going to be lightly-raced heading into the first of the game’s four marquee events – and not just because the LIV Golf tournaments are played over 54 holes. “Last year going into The Masters, I had made eight starts and this year will be five,” he said. “Last year I did not play the week before but this year I am.”

Referring to that being a LIV event at Trump National Doral in Miami on 5-7 April, he added: “I am glad we are going to a challenging course because I think that gets you prepared very, very well for a major tournament. So far it’s been a bit of a learning curve. I’m physically better and great mentally. I’ve not played my best yet, but I can see it every tournament getting a little bit better and getting to a point where I like I’m at coming up to the Masters. I’m hoping I can go there and do the same thing, give myself a chance on Sunday.”

Last April, fans got exactly what they were looking for as Rahm, who, of course, was still a PGA Tour player at the time, battled it out with LIV Golf’s Brooks Koepka for most of the four days before claiming a second major title on the day his compatriot Seve Ballesteros would have turned 66. Though now in the opposite camp, so to speak, Rahm is hoping for something similar in the 87th edition of the event at the Georgia venue.

“I’m looking forward to hopefully having a great Sunday back-nine showdown with some of those great players because, at the end of the day, it’s what golf and spectators deserve,” he said. “With that said, I’m hoping I can cruise the last three holes with an eight or nine-shot lead and make a nine or ten to win it, but it would be really fun to come down to the wire and make a birdie on 18 to win it.”

Scottie Scheffler, who cemented his position as world No 1 by creating history as the first man to win The Players Championship back-to-back on Sunday, looks a real threat as Rahm bids to emulate both Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal as multiple Masters winners at the first attempt. “Yeah, I’m fully aware of where Scottie is - I’ve seen it the last two years,” he said of the 2022 winner. “He’s a great competitor and he is somebody that when you are under the gun and you’ve got to get it done, he’s been able to get it done.”

Rahm was speaking less than 24 hours after Tiger Woods was among the player directors on the PGA Tour’s policy board who met the Public Investment Fund chief, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, to find out exactly what he had in mind for the game’s future as ongoing talks continue around a framework agreement with both the PGA Tour and DP World Tour. Al-Rumayyan, of course, is the man who sanctioned Rahm’s signing fee for LIV Golf as PIF already backs the set-up circuit.

“I think there’s a way of co-existing,” opined Rahm, who used the top football leagues in Europe as an example of that in another sport. “I don’t know what it looks like, but I just want to be able to see the best in the world compete against each other. I think there’s room for the game of golf to get to the next level and have more viewership options. Right now, it might not be the friendliest group but, if there’s some type of peace achieved, I think it can actually push the game forward.”

As for that Champions’ Dinner menu, it includes Gernika peppers, Spanish ham, spicy Basque chorizo, Idiazábal cheese, turbot fish and white asparagus, chuletón, which is a ribeye steak, and a dessert called Milhojas. “I wanted to make sure the Basque heritage was there,” he said after describing each dish with huge enthusiasm. “I know Jose has done it twice, but where he’s from and where I’m from is a little bit different, so I wanted to put a little bit of my essence into it.”

What about his speech as defending champion? “This has definitely been rent free in my head,” he admitted, referring to those he’ll be addressing. “I don’t know exactly what I’m going to say, but hopefully one or two glasses of wine will help me get a little bit more fluid in that speech.”