There isn’t any room at the table when it comes to majors in men’s golf, just ask The Players Championship which has been knocking on the door with its case to be No. 5.
But if the schedule and format did ever open up to allow for some relocation, Jon Rahm would be in favor of having majors with more than the tinge of international flavor the Open Championship brings every summer.
The LIV Golf star and two-time major champ referenced the possibility of having two in Europe each year like the LPGA and Ladies European Tour have configured or having an event that travels from continent to continent each year during his press conference at Royal Birkdale Tuesday.
“I don’t know who can decide what a new major becomes or is now a major [but] that would be interesting to see a major happen in other parts of the world, in other continents,” said Rahm, who comes into the year’s final major championship after missing the cut at Shinnecock after shooting an 8-over 78 in the second round of the U.S. Open.
Coming off a T-34 finish at Royal Portrush last year, Rahm said he understands the need to have commercial value as well, but still championed what he’s seen playing around the globe over the last several years.
“Golf being a global game and as big as it is, it’s something that could be explored for sure,” he said. “Having a major in Australia could be very successful. Not that Europe deserves two, but having two in Europe would also be good fun. Preferably home court in my case. And same in Asia. I think there would be some great venues and great places to possibly have them.”
The current men’s major structure has three U.S. events and one in Europe. Rahm was answering questions about how compact the schedule is — all four fall in a four-month span — and what would it look like to have something added that does not currently exist.
“It’s got its pros and cons,” Rahm said of the current format. “When somebody’s playing really good golf, having the majors close together helps. We just saw in the LPGA where a non-major champion [Haeran Ryu] is a two-time major champion in two weeks, and with Nelly as well.
“If you’re playing good golf, it’s always going to benefit you. As far as spectators go, I think us having some more time in between may be better. You could make an argument for either one. I think we’re limited with when we have the best weather for each one.”
What a win at Birkdale means for Rahm
If he gets to the winner’s circle on Sunday, then Rahm enters 2027 on the exact same mission as Scottie Scheffler: To complete the career Grand Slam.
He’s won twice this year on the LIV circuit, in Hong Kong and Mexico City. But perhaps his best work was done at Aronimink where he finished T-2 and was within reach of that aforementioned third major win — which would have set him up to complete the slam this weekend at Royal Birkdale.
Despite talk of Australia and Asia, Rahm didn’t answer a single question Tuesday about the pending future of his current league — a noticeable change from his pressers at the previous three majors and even during the lead up to last week’s Genesis Scottish Open which he finished T-36.
“How to describe it would be really hard — it’s not easy to win a major, and it’s a tough task for anybody on the field. You just have to go and do it,” he said. “The only growing impatience I would have is to give myself more chances. I’ve been able to do it once in the last two years so far. Hopefully I get another chance. Right, both PGAs? I would like to be in contention more often, just have a chance. Eventually if you give yourself enough chances, it’s easier to end up with that win.”
Rahm did reveal that he believes one of the keys to winning is being honest with oneself.
“Swallow your pride, understand what you did wrong, see what somebody else did better, and try to change that,” he said.
The fairway is the place to be at Birkdale
Rahm said this week that he’s drawing some inspiration from the 147th Open at Carnoustie that Francesco Molinari went on to win.
A long period of dry weather left the course firm and fast, and Rahm sees similarities this year to 2018.
“I think more so than ever, when it’s firm, you want to be in the fairway so you can have more control over the golf ball because out of the rough you start having fliers and the ball can release so much where even if you’re 100 yards away, it’s tricky to find the greens,” he said. “I think putting the ball where you need to put it off the tee is going to be important.”
Birkdale last hosted The Open a year prior to Carnoustie, and Rahm finished T-44 after posting 70-70 on the weekend.
“From what I’ve learned in the past, if you start pulling out drivers in an Open Championship, you can do a good job short term,” he said. “You can maybe get away with it one round. Over four rounds, you’re going to start finding spots you don’t want to be in, and you’re going to pay the price.”