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Rahm enjoying lack of spotlight at Southern Hills
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Rahm enjoying lack of spotlight at Southern Hills

It is not often Jon Rahm comes in under the radar but that is what he is hoping to do as he looks to claim a second Major title at this week's US PGA Championship.

Jon Rahm

The Spaniard recently relinquished his spot at the top of the Official World Golf Ranking to the in-form Scottie Scheffler but he could take it back with a victory at Southern Hills Country Club.

With a win under his belt earlier this month at the Mexico Open at Vidanta on the PGA TOUR, you would think Rahm would top the bill in Tulsa, but the absence of defending champion Phil Mickelson and the presence of his great rival Tiger Woods means many eyes are elsewhere, and that is just how Rahm likes it.

"Other than me?" he said when asked where he would like the focus this week. "Oh yeah. Yeah, of course. Give it to them."

Woods is continuing his latest incredible comeback after revealing he could have lost a leg in a car accident early last year, and Rahm is delighted to see the 15-time Major winner teeing it up so soon after making the cut at the Masters Tournament.

"We're all happy that Tiger is here, obviously," he continued. "We're extremely happy. Who would have said over a year ago that he would be competing in Major Championships again.

Jon Rahm Mexico Open-1394857983

"I was lucky enough to enjoy that Sunday round at Augusta with him and talk to him a little bit first-hand about what he was going through and what he's gone through.

"He's Tiger. He's a competitor. He's going to try to win every single time and anytime he tees up, the world wants him to win.

"I totally expected for the attention to be on him but it doesn't really change anything of what I want to be doing this week."

Southern Hills last hosted a Major in 2007 when Rahm was just 12 years old, and the four-time Rolex Series champion has only seen the layout for the first time in recent weeks.

He revealed he came to play two days last week and is looking forward to the test that the storied course will present.

"If you're in the rough, you might not be able to be aggressive towards the pins," he said. "But for the most part, you will have a chance to roll it up there most of the holes.

I feel like I learn courses pretty quickly and my game kind of adapts to any golf course and that's why I feel like I've had success where I haven't played before

"If you miss the fairway on 18, it's going to be tough, but a lot of other ones, like one and two and three and a couple of others, you will have a chance to put it up there, maybe give yourself a chance.

"But you have to hit a lot of fairways out here. Everything needs to be good. Iron game needs to be good, short game, putting, driving, everything, otherwise something really will have to excel for something else to be lacking.

"I feel like I learn courses pretty quickly and my game kind of adapts to any golf course and that's why I feel like I've had success where I haven't played before.

"Maybe it's four years of college where you get 18 holes to learn as much as you can from the course, or maybe it's the fact that a lot of times when you play, you don't know where half the trouble is. Sometimes that helps, you just see where you want to hit it and it's a great lesson on the mental aspect of things.

"Sometimes less is more. It doesn't usually apply to Major Championships, though, it's a bit different.

"I think the main thing is I learn courses decently fast and my game, the way I play golf, it adapts to pretty much anything."

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