Jon Rahm is focused on maintaining his top spot in the FedExCup standings at the Fed Ex St Jude Championship; watch the FedEx St Jude Championship from Thursday August 10, live on Sky Sports Golf from 6pm
Tuesday 8 August 2023 17:37, UK
Jon Rahm is No 1 in the FedExCup Playoff standings as he prepares to tee up in Memphis this week and the Spaniard is backing himself in the FedEx St Jude Championship.
"Yes, we're competing against each other, but it's not really head-to-head like in pretty much every other sport. I still have to focus on what I have to do rather than what other players may be doing," Rahm said Tuesday in an interview with CBS This Morning.
"It's me against me and all I can control is what I do. If I do what I know I can do at the highest level, it gives me the best chance."
The two-time major champion, who win The Masters in April, also said that currently he doesn't have any plans to join the LIV Golf circuit, largely because of the format and his love of traditional golf.
"It's hard to say where you stand on one thing or the other," Rahm said. "For those watching that don't know me, I'm a golf historian. I'm a golf traditionalist.
"Apart from the money purses, with the PGA Tour elevated to match the LIV purses, there's something special when you win tournaments, especially like one we're competing in this week at St Jude. There's so much involvement with St Jude Hospital.
"It's more than just golf, it transcends golf a little bit. That to me is very important. Building a legacy is very, very important. I think the PGA Tour is the best spot to do it right now. That's where my mind is at."
Rahm was tied for fifth in the St Jude in 2022 with a final-round 66 and he was eighth and 15th in the final two playoff events last year but will be looking for improvement in 2023.
"It's not easy. My pro career, I've been very consistent. It's nothing special that I have done this year. A lot of it, if you talk to my wife, was becoming a father. It gives you a little bit of superpowers, if you wish. And then just having faith in the process."
Rahm this week earned the $4m bonus and has four tournament victories this season, including the Masters. He had 10 top-10 finishes in 17 starts.
This week begins his push for an even bigger payday. The winner of the FedEx playoff banks $18m out of the $75m post-season prize pool.
"Obviously it's a lot of money," Rahm said, "I haven't been in the position before. I pride myself on being a consistent player."
Tyrrell Hatton is trying to keep the pressure off while keeping on form heading into the FedEx St Jude Championship.
Hatton currently sits 17th in the FedExCup standings and will be making sure that he is best placed to compete for the season-ending Tour Championship in Atlanta later this month, where only the top 30 qualify.
"I think my results here maybe haven't been the best, off the top of my head. There's certainly not a week I can think of that I've done really well here," said Hatton. "Ultimately, we try our best every single week, and this week is going to be no different for me.
"In some ways, I don't have the added pressure of being on the bubble getting into next week. That's already locked up. It's more a case of just trying to have a couple of nice weeks and make sure that I'm there in Atlanta.
"I think we've all known since the start of this year that you need to be - the top 50 is really a kind of important number. I think I'd be in the bracket with a fair few guys that have maybe played a little bit more than they typically would, just to try and give yourself the opportunities to make sure that you do finish in that top 50.
"Fortunately for me this year, I've managed to play some good golf, and I've secured that. It makes it a lot easier to certainly plan next year because you know you're going to be in the elevated events moving forward."
Watch the FedEx St Jude Championship from Thursday August 10, live on Sky Sports Golf from 6pm. Stream the PGA Tour and more with NOW.
