GOLF
Can Jon Rahm win the 2023 US Open? Geno Bonnalie gives some insight
Joel Dahmen’s caddie explains what sets apart the top golfers on the PGA Tour from the rest of the pack. The psychological aspect of the game is what makes players like Jon Rahm great
Jon Rahm has dominated the competition on the PGA Tour in 2023. The highlight through the first half of the season was his impressive win at the Masters in April, but that’s only part of the story. He has played in 12 events, won four of them, was runner-up at the Mexico Open at Vidanta and has been in the top 10 eight times. He is No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking as well as in the FedEx Cup standings.
Geno Bonnalie explains what it takes to be the best
The question at the 2023 US Open is who can stand toe to toe with Jon Rahm? Caesars Sportsbook has Rahm at +800 to win the third major of the year. Seems like easy money the way ‘Rhambo’ has been playing. It’s almost reminiscent of when Tiger Woods used to dominate the field. “The best players expect to be the best and expect to beat everyone,” Bonnalie said in an interview with Diario As. “I don’t know if it’s an intimidation factor or what it is. They have a sense of ‘I’m going to destroy you.’”
If a player makes it up the ranks through amateur golf and the different tiers of professional golf, they know they’re good, but they don’t necessarily have that killer instinct. “I don’t think that’s inherent in everyone,” Bonnalie says. “Joel [Dahmen] is a very smart guy and knows that Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm are just better.”
Geno Bonnalie and Joel Dahmen became household names thanks to the Netflix docuseries ‘Full Swing’. Bonnalie is one of the most familiar caddies on the PGA Tour now to the extent that SAXX Underwear hired him and three other caddies to promote the brand.
“We played with him [Rahm] at the Players Championship on Saturday in 2022 and he three-putted the first hole. He was so mad. He gets up on no. 2 and just destroys one down the middle and has 7-iron into no. 2 while we’re between 3-wood and hybrid and Joel says to me, ‘There’s no way I can beat this guy.’”
The characteristics that make ‘Rhambo’ great
Jon Rahm is at a point in his career where he enjoys playing. He thrives on the competition and has fun on the course. Despite the pressure, he still loves playing and studying the game. He can even laugh at himself for four-putting the first hole at the 2023 Masters. He has also made it very clear that he wants to compete against the best in the majors and at the Ryder Cup.