Rahm compromiso y concentración (SPA-ENG)
La semana anterior vivimos una gran exhibición de golf por parte del español Jon Rahm, quien ganó el Masters de Augusta, primer major del calendario anual. Lo hizo de la mejor manera, demostrando su enorme talento y destrozando las ilusiones de sus perseguidores jugando unos sólidos nueve hoyos finales.
El Masters demandó un gran esfuerzo físico para todos los jugadores debido a las varias suspensiones por cuestiones climáticas que provocaran que la mayoría debiera cumplimentar muchos más que los 18 hoyos de una vuelta en un mismo día, el viernes hubo suspensión y el sábado apenas pudieron completar algunos pocos hoyos. El domingo tuvieron que jugar a destajo, muchos incluso jugaron dos rondas completas.
Por todo ello más los festejos que seguramente se desataron luego del merecido triunfo, me causó gran sorpresa ver a Rahm en el día de ayer jugando la primera ronda del RBC Heritage, sinceramente no esperaba que el nuevamente número uno del ranking mundial volviera a los links a tan solo cuatro días del resonado triunfo.
Es cierto que las instalaciones del bello campo de Harbord Town Golf Links ubicados en la coqueta y conocida Hilton Head Island, en el estado de Carolina del Sur se encuentra a solo unas 160 millas de Augusta y el viaje es solo un trámite para estos jugadores que recorren miles de millas al año inclusive cruzando continentes de una semana a la otra pero de todas maneras no esperaba, como dije antes, verlo a Rahm jugando este torneo.
Los comentaristas y relatores de la cadena deportiva ESPN en español tienen una gran tradición en estas trasmisiones, algo que comenzó con la dupla argentina formada por Silvia Bertolaccini y Francisco "Paco" Alemán quienes trasmitieron el golf de la PGA durante 30 años ininterrumpidos pero que desde hace un par de años han dejado paso a nuevas generación que lo vienen haciendo de gran forma. Gracias a la información que brindan y que va mucho más allá del relato de lo que está ocurriendo en los torneos, investigan, entrevistan y dan al espectador una gran cantidad de información que les acerca cada competencia y las hacen vivirla como si estuvieran participando.
En uno de esos comentarios me enteré del porqué de la participación de Jon Rahm: había dado su palabra a los organizadores y de ninguna manera quiso faltar a ella demostrando cabalmente su compromiso y su calidad de persona.
Por supuesto, no sabía que ganaría el Masters y que eso le demandaría un gran esfuerzo previo y posterior al torneo, sin embargo cumplió su palabra y ayer estuvo jugando. No lo hizo bien, claramente se notó que la concentración luego de un triunfo tan esperado como difícil le estaba pasando factura y sus tiros que tan solo cuatro días antes tenían la precisión de una flecha, aquí eran fallidos, se percibía su fastidio por no poder dar lo que esperaban de El. Para peor, este torneo también tuvo problemas con el clima y la primera vuelta disputada en el día de ayer tuvo una suspensión temporal por tormenta eléctrica, al volver a jugar Rahm hizo tres bogey consecutivos. Con el transcurrir de los hoyos pudo recuperar algunos golpes aunque quedó finalmente +1 para los 18 hoyos, hoy deberá apelar a esa concentración que le faltó ayer para poder pasar el corte clasificatorio y poder jugar los últimos dos días.
No me cabe ninguna duda que luchará con todas sus armas para pasar el corte, lo intentará aunque su mente y su cuerpo le indiquen lo contrario, es su esencia de jugador y no la traicionará, como no lo hizo con su palabra empeñada.
Rahm, commitment, and concentration
The previous week we experienced a great golf exhibition by the Spanish Jon Rahm, who won the Augusta Masters, the first major on the annual calendar. He did it in the best way, showing his enormous talent and shattering the illusions of his pursuers by playing a solid final nine holes.
The Masters demanded a great physical effort from all the players due to the various suspensions due to weather conditions that meant that most of them had to complete much more than the 18 holes of a round in the same day, on Friday there was a suspension and on Saturday they could barely complete some few holes. On Sunday they had to play piecework, many even played two full rounds.
For all this plus the celebrations that surely broke out after the well-deserved victory, it caused me great surprise to see Rahm yesterday playing the first round of the RBC Heritage, I honestly did not expect that the number one in the world ranking would return to the links just four days from the resounding triumph.
It is true that the facilities of the beautiful Harbord Town Golf Links course located on the charming and well-known Hilton Head Island, in the state of South Carolina, is only about 160 miles from Augusta and the trip is just a formality for these players who they cover thousands of miles a year even crossing continents from one week to the next but anyway I didn't expect, as I said before, to see Rahm playing this tournament.
The commentators and reporters of the sports network ESPN in Spanish have a great tradition in these broadcasts, something that began with the Argentine duo formed by Silvia Bertolaccini and Francisco "Paco" Alemán who broadcast PGA golf for 30 uninterrupted years but since A couple of years ago they have given way to a new generation that has been doing it in a great way. Thanks to the information they provide and which goes far beyond the story of what is happening in the tournaments, they investigate, interview, and give the viewer a large amount of information that brings them closer to each competition and makes them experience it as if they were participating.
In one of those comments I found out the reason for Jon Rahm's participation: he had given his word to the organizers and in no way wanted to break it, fully demonstrating his commitment and his quality as a person.
Of course, he did not know that he would win the Masters and that it would require a great effort before and after the tournament, however, he kept his word and was playing yesterday. He did not do it well, it was clearly noticeable that concentration after a triumph that was so expected and difficult was taking its toll on him and his shots, which only four days before had the precision of an arrow, here were unsuccessful, his annoyance at not being able to to give what was expected of him. To make matters worse, this tournament also had problems with the weather and the first round played yesterday had a temporary suspension due to an electrical storm, when Rahm returned to play he made three consecutive bogeys. With the passing of the holes he was able to recover some strokes although he was finally +1 for the 18 holes, today he will have to appeal to that concentration that he lacked yesterday to be able to pass the qualifying cut and be able to play the last two days.
I have no doubt that he will fight with all his weapons to make the cut, he will try even if his mind and body tell him otherwise, it is his essence as a player and he will not betray it, as he did not with his pledged word.
Las imágenes fueron tomadas por mi de la televisión. Salvo la primera que fue publicada en Twitter.
Héctor Gugliermo
@hosgug
https://twitter.com/1350124638584627204/status/1646833238260760576
The rewards earned on this comment will go directly to the people( @hosgug ) sharing the post on Twitter as long as they are registered with @poshtoken. Sign up at https://hiveposh.com.