Jon Rahm is a three-time winner of the Spanish Open, his home country’s major golf tournament.
His win in 2022 meant he equalled the tally of golfing icon Seve Ballesteros for the most wins of the Spanish Open by a home player. This event means a great deal to Jon Rahm.
However, this year, the tournament holds even greater significance for the entire field. For the first time, the winner of the Spanish Open will receive an invitation to the 2026 Masters and The Open Championship.
Rahm, the Masters winner in 2023, is already exempt from qualifying for both tournaments. So if he doesn’t win his home event for a record-breaking fourth time, he suggested who he would like to see earn qualification for the two major championships.
Jon Rahm says who he wants to win the Spanish Open
Rahm, a two-time major winner, knows the honour of having the Green Jacket placed on his shoulders. With his win in 2023, he became the fourth Spanish player to claim victory at the Masters, following in the footsteps of Ballesteros.
That’s an honour that he hopes more Spaniards will have the opportunity to experience now that the Spanish Open winner will earn a place at major championships.
Speaking to reporters, he said, “I think it’s an extreme honour. I think it speaks to the history and the meaning of this event, right.
“You have a lot of Spanish champions that mean a lot in the history of Augusta National, and I think to get that recognition and that reward with being able to get into that event and The Open Championship, I think it’s fantastic.
“We need it in golf nowadays. We have a lot of people that made an impact in the game of golf, and to give the [Spanish] Open, one of the eldest events in Continental Europe, one of the oldest events on The European Tour the recognition, it deserves with rewarding the champion with an invite to two of the majors, in my mind, when it comes to golf, possibly the two biggest majors.
“I think it’s very, very important, very, very happy that it’s happening. And I hope it’s a young Spanish player, if it’s not one of us, who gets a chance to go out and perform in those great venues.
“Because it’s never easy to make it there, and to win your National Open and then get rewarded with going to next year at Birkdale and then Augusta National, it’s quite special.”
Spain has a prominent place in the history of golf, and Rahm hopes the next great player from his home country can take the mantle from him with the help of a major qualification from the Spanish Open.
Shane Lowry says the Spanish Open ‘deserves’ the recognition from Augusta National
Making his first playing appearance at the Spanish Open since his Ryder Cup retaining putt, Shane Lowry is also exempt from qualification for the Masters and The Open.
Regardless, he views Augusta’s recognition of the event as a significant positive, which only enhances its standing in the golfing world.
He explained: “I think what they have done is pretty cool. I’m exempt and totally forgot about it until somebody asked me about it earlier.
“But I think for the people that are not exempt, it’s a huge carrot there at the end of the week. It will probably bring a bit more pressure than a normal week, but I think a great championship like this deserves it.”
Lowry won The Open Championship in 2019 at Royal Portrush and knows, as well as anyone, the significance of the tournament to European players.
So if it’s not the big names in contention come Sunday, a win in Madrid could be career-changing this weekend.
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