Conversations with Champions: Jon Rahm, caddie Adam Hayes at Mexico Open at Vidanta

“Conversations with Champions, presented by Sentry” is a new weekly series from Golfweek that is a collaboration with The Caddie Network. Each week, we’ll take you behind the scenes in a chat with the winning caddie from the most recent PGA Tour event. This week: Adam Hayes, caddie for Jon Rahm at the 2022 Mexico Open at Vidanta.

When Jon Rahm won the Mexico Open at Vidanta, he earned his first win since the 2021 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. He won after holding the lead after all four rounds. It was his seventh PGA Tour win and 13th win worldwide and he said it meant a lot, as did the location of this latest victory.

“I came this week wanting to do it. I’ve spoken at length about the importance of Seve [Ballesteros] and his impact on the game of golf and how I play because of him,” Rahm said, speaking of a fellow Spaniard who remains a critical influence on him. “Nowadays we have a much bigger reach, the PGA Tour has become a bigger tour, and with social media, we’re worldwide stars, bigger than they were in the past. I feel like I can make some impact in Mexico as well, and Mexico deserves a good event. You can even see golf growing in Mexico as well.”

Rahm credits relatively low-key final round with Tiger Woods at the Masters as being a key in finding the winner’s circle once again.

“I knew I was improving,” he said. “I think that Sunday with Tiger at Augusta gave me quite a bit of confidence. I was a little bit technical in my approach, a little too technical. I’m a feel player and that Sunday I told myself just go out there and hit the golf ball, make shots, see the ball flight and execute and I shot a 3 under without having my best stuff on a tough day.”

The win in Vallarta also means Rahm has earned a return trip to Hawaii to kick off 2023 at the Sentry Tournament of Champions.

Rahm is taking the next two weeks off, as he’s skipping the Wells Fargo Championship near Washington, D.C., and the AT&T Byron Nelson at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas, outside of Dallas, to prepare for the PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

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