Caleb Surratt has shared just how much of an impact Jon Rahm has already had on him since joining his Legion XIII team with LIV Golf.
Caleb Surratt was one of the surprise additions to Jon Rahm‘s team ahead of their LIV debut this season. The 19-year-old was yet to turn professional before this campaign. But he could have not asked for a better start to life with LIV.
Rahm’s Legion XIII won the team event in the curtain raiser in Mayakoba. Tyrrell Hatton shot a final round 64 to help the side across the line, while Surratt carded a four-under in round three. Rahm meanwhile, only missed out on the individual play off after finishing with two bogeys.
Caleb Surratt shares impact Jon Rahm has had on him
Las Vegas was less successful for Legion XIII as they finished tied for fifth in the team competition. Surratt actually ended up tied with the likes of Hatton and Brooks Koepka in the individual standings.
So it has been a promising start for the teenager. And it seems that his captain has to take a lot of credit for that. Surratt told Fairway to Heaven that working closely with Rahm has improved every single aspect of his game – even in such a short period of time.
“I’m going to go out on a limb here and have a very hot take, I think 98 percent of the players would agree, but being around Jon Rahm is different. When you’re playing with Jon Rahm everyday, it teaches for the noise to not affect you,” he said.
“So I said I went to Arizona the week before Mayakoba, so I’m playing with Jon Rahm and a couple of other pros that week, very successful pros, and then I’m going into Mayakoba and I’ve just spent five days with arguably the best player in the world, and competed with him, and beat him. There’s no reason why I should be nervous. There’s no reason why the noise should affect me, because I know that my golf is good enough to compete.
“He’s a different animal, right. When the lights are on, he’s a different beast. That’s not the same as playing at Whisper Rock, but on a surface level, when you play with Jon Rahm, it’s different than playing with some other pros. He is one of the best players in the world and won major championships for a reason.
“So just being around him helps me get better. I don’t even have to try to get better. I seriously don’t, I don’t have to ask him questions. I don’t have to compete with him. I’ve just got to be there, because when you’re there, you just subconsciously learn so much.”
LIV need their youngsters to thrive
Surratt certainly does not appear to be lacking in confidence. While he is aware that there is plenty of work ahead for him, he seems to feel that he has the potential to reach the top of the game.
And he does indeed have a brilliant mentor now in Rahm. It is going to be very interesting to see how careers develop on LIV when you consider how much focus there has been on the superstar signings the tour has made.
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