Jon Rahm says Ryder Cup was mentally toughest week of career

MADRID — Jon Rahm is back in action at his home tournament in Spain following what he considered the toughest week mentally of his career during the Ryder Cup in New York.

Rahm is in Madrid to try to win a record fourth Spanish Open title and surpass Seve Ballesteros as the tournament’s most successful golfer since the creation of the European tour in 1972.

Rahm helped Europe win the Ryder Cup in the United States two weeks ago, when the raucous home crowd tormented the European players from the start.

“That week in New York was mentally the toughest week of my career, but at the same time it was the most fun I’ve had,” Rahm said Tuesday. “What happened there during those three days was something inhospitable. At times I couldn’t believe it.”

Rahm teamed up with Tyrrell Hatton at Bethpage Black and they were some of the most targeted Europeans by the New York crowd.

Rahm said he heard it all from the American fans and, “with alcohol being sold [very early], by 9 a.m. things were already out of control.”

“You could compare it to soccer, but then you have the noise of 50,000 people and you don’t actually hear what each person is saying,” Rahm said. “In my case, every step I took I could hear everything.”

Rahm said the outcome couldn’t have been any better as Europe clinched the victory to retain the trophy won two years ago in Rome.

“It’s going to be hard to outdo that week, possibly in the 2031 Ryder here in Spain, which will be more special for me than for anybody else,” Rahm said.

Rahm will be making his seventh appearance in Madrid, with his victories coming in 2018, 2019 and 2022. He was runner-up to fellow Spaniard Angel Hidalgo in a playoff last year.

Ballesteros won the last of his 50 titles on the European tour at the Spanish Open in 1995.

This year’s Spanish Open will be the first time the tournament will offer an automatic spot in next year’s Masters and the Open Championship to the winner.

Rahm and Sergio Garcia, the winner of the 2002 Spanish Open, are among the LIV players in the field.

Also playing this week are Patrick Reed, Joaquín Niemann and Shane Lowry, who made the cup-retaining putt for Europe in the Ryder Cup.

This is also the 50-year anniversary of golf great Arnold Palmer winning the tournament in 1975.