Jon Rahm hailed the “power of positive thinking” after winning his first major title with a stunning finish in the 121st US Open.

Jon Rahm hailed the power of positive thinking after winning his first major title with a stunning finish in the 121st US Open.
Rahm became the first Spanish player to lift the title and also returned to the top of the world rankings after making birdies on the final two holes at Torrey Pines to finish a shot ahead of Louis Oosthuizen.
The 26-year-old had tested positive for Covid-19 just 15 days earlier and was given the news moments after completing a third round of 64 to establish a six-shot lead in defence of his title at the Memorial Tournament.
This is the power of positive thinking, said Rahm, who was able to cut short a 10-day period of self-isolation last Saturday after twice testing negative.
I was never resentful for one second for what happened. And I dont blame anybody. Its been a difficult year and unfortunately Covid is a reality in this world and its affected a lot of people.
We have lost a lot of people back home. We have lost some friends. This one is to a friend of mine who was a journalist who had just started getting into golf and he was basically following me around the world, and he passed away a few months ago from Covid.
Rahm reserved special praise for Ireland’s Padraig Harrington who was the first person to call the Spaniard after his Covid diagnosis two weeks ago.
Harrington was famously disqualified from the Benson and Hedges International Open in 2000 when he was five shots clear at the Belfry only to be informed he forgot to sign his card just five minutes before he was due to tee off in his final round.
“The first person who called me that wasn’t family, it was right away when I was in the isolation trailer, was Padraig Harrington,” Rahm added. “He said he got a lot more from that instance, he learned a lot more than he would ever learn from the win.
“Nick Faldo texted me the next morning and told me a story of how he was winning a tournament. He was leading by six with six holes to go and got disqualified, and how he learned from that and got a win the week after.
“I believe from the biggest setbacks we can get some of the biggest breakthroughs, and that’s why I stay so positive. That’s why I kept telling Kelley (Rahm’s wife), when she was devastated about what happened and my family and everybody around me, something good is going to come.
“I felt that today out there on the golf course. I had in mind Padraig and Nick when I was out there a couple times knowing that they won shortly after, and I knew today was my day.”
Rahm won his first PGA Tour title at Torrey Pines, where he also proposed to his wife Kelley. She and their infant son Kepa were the first to greet Rahm after his dramatic birdie on the 18th.
Im a big believer in karma, and after what happened a couple weeks ago I stayed really positive knowing good things were coming, Rahm said.
I didnt know what it was going to be, but I knew we were coming to a special place, I knew I got my breakthrough win here and its a very special place for my family.
The fact that my parents were able to come, I got out of Covid protocol early, I just felt like the stars were aligning, and I knew my best golf was to come.
I have a hard time explaining what just happened because I cant even believe I made the last two putts, and Im the first Spaniard ever to win a US Open.
This was definitely for Seve (Ballesteros). Usually we think a lot about him at the Masters, but I know he wanted to win this one most of all.
Oosthuizen had already finished second in each of the four majors before being runner-up in last months US PGA and was left to rue a pulled drive into a hazard on the 17th.
Its frustrating. Its disappointing, the former Open champion said. Im playing good golf, but winning a major championship is not just going to happen.
You need to go out and play good golf. I played good today, but I didnt play good enough.
I definitely left a few putts or shots out there. I took the tee shot on at 17, and I knew it was a crucial hole for me to take it on and give myself a birdie opportunity.
I didnt pull it off, but standing on that tee again, Ill probably do the same thing, taking a driver and taking the shot on. I feel like I had my shots, I went for it, and thats what you have to do to win majors. Sometimes it goes your way and other times it doesnt.