Liberal Arts Blog — Spaniard (Jon Rahm) Wins US Open (Golf) for the First Time!
Liberal Arts Blog — Saturday is the Joy of Sports, Dance, Fitness, and All Things Physical Day
Today’s Topic — Spaniard (Jon Rahm) Wins US Open (Golf) for the First Time!
Fittingly, his nickname is “Rahmbo.” He is built like a bear and for some reason reminds me of Russel Crowe (“the Spaniard” in “the Gladiator”). His father is Basque, his mother from Madrid. “Only two weeks ago, Rahm was on the cusp of another big win. He had a six-shot lead at the Memorial after 54 holes, only to be notified as he walked off the 18th green at Muirfield Village that he had to withdraw (because he tested positive for Covid). Worse yet, his parents had flown in from Spain to see their new grandson, and Rahm was in self-isolation and couldn’t be there for a special moment.” Then his luck changed. He won his first Major and regained his status as #1 in the world. Experts — please chime in. Correct, elaborate, elucidate.
HE “BIRDIED” THE FINAL TWO HOLES AND CAME IN AT SIX UNDER PAR — translation?
1. “Par is the predetermined number of strokes that a proficient (scratch, or zero handicap) golfer should require to complete a hole, a round (the sum of the pars of the played holes), or a tournament (the sum of the pars of each round).
2. To birdie a hole is to score one under par on a hole.
3. Rahm completed the tournament at six under par, ended a streak of six consecutive American winners, and bagged $2.3 million in prize money.
WHO WERE HIS COMPETITORS? WHO WAS ON THE “STAR PACKED LEADERBOARD”?
1. “DeChambeau was looking to win his second consecutive U.S. Open.”
2. “McIlroy was trying to break his major drought.”
3. “Collin Morikawa was looking to win a major for the second straight year.”
NB: “Oosthuizen was in search of his second. Koepka was charging for his fifth.” And I’m just trying to get a little bit more familiar with all these names so if I run into a stranger whose favorite thing in the world is golf, I will have a better chance at making a connection.
BACKGROUND ON RAHM — Arizona State, #1 US college player, #1 European Tour #1 World
1. Graduated from Arizona State University. First collegiate player to win the Ben Hogan award for best college player two years in a row (2015, 2016).
2. European Tour Rookie of the Year (2017), Player of the Year (2019)
3. World #1: July 19-August 2, and Aug 9-Aug 22, 2020; then June 20, 2021 to Present. Cumulative weeks: 5.
NB: Just a little comparison on the weeks at #1 ranking: Tiger Woods (683), Greg Norman (331), Dustin Johnson (134), Rory McIlroy (106), Nick Faldo (97), Seve Ballesteros (61). Ballesteros is the greatest Spanish golfer in history. He died in 2011, age 54, and Rahm dedicated his US Open victory to Seve. This is definitely for Seve. I know he wanted to win this one most of all,” said Rahm, his voice cracking with emotion.”
Golfer Jon Rahm Was Cruising Toward a $1.7 Million Win — Until His Positive Covid Test
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/20/sports/golf/us-open-jon-rahm-wins.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seve_Ballesteros
Jon Rahm wins the U.S. Open as Louis Oosthuizen falls short again
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/21/jon-rahm-wins-the-us-open-as-louis-oosthuizen-falls-short-again.html
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YOUR TURN
Please share the coolest thing you learned this week related to sports, dance, fitness. Or the coolest thing you learned about Sports, Dance, of Fitness in your life — whether on the field, on the dance floor or in the gym, whether from a coach, a parent, a friend, or just your own experimentation.
This is your chance to make some one else’s day. Or even change their life. It’s perhaps a chance to put into words something you have never articulated before. And to cement in your own memory something cool you might otherwise forget. Or to think more deeply than otherwise about something dear to your heart.
