Masters favourite Jon Rahm tipped to break 17-year Tiger Woods record before Rory McIlroy
EXCLUSIVE: Two-time US Open champion Curtis Strange spoke to Express Sport in the build-up to this week’s Masters tournament.
Not since Tiger Woods back in 2006 has any player on the PGA Tour won more than seven times in a calendar year, but golfing icon Curtis Strange believes Jon Rahm is the man to break that run in the near future. It’s a testament to how competitive the PGA Tour has become in recent years that no player has won more than four times in a single year since Justin Thomas back in 2017.
And there are even more top talents coming through every year in the rookie class with Tom Kim taking the PGA Tour by storm so far this season. But what Woods achieved in the early 2000s in being the last player to win eight times in a single season would need someone to break away from the elite group of golfers today and find another level.
Rory McIlroy has threatened to in the past, but has battled with some inconsistent form over the years. Scottie Scheffler looks more than capable of being that person to dominate while young players such as Max Homa, Will Zalatoris and Viktor Hovland are already making waves on tour.
But it’s Rahm who has already started 2023 with a bang, coming into The Masters with three wins under his belt already. And Curtis, who will be an analyst for ESPN’s coverage of the Masters, believes the Spaniard has all the tools to break away from the rest.
“Jon Rahm to me – and no disrespect to Scottie Scheffler or Rory McIlroy or any of the great players – but Jon is the guy to me that can be the next player to win eight or nine times around the world in a year,” he told Express Sport. “He’s got the strength. He’s got the intensity. He has the ability. He drives the ball exceptionally well and long and he’s got a great short game.
