Doubt is an inextricable part of any sport, with both champions and contenders wrestling with its crippling effect. The same goes for two-time major champion Jon Rahm. For the Spaniard, the path to golf’s ultimate prizes presents a tough test of mental fortitude. As he arrived at Royal Birkdale for the 154th Open Championship, Rahm shared a candid outlook on the psychological battle that confounds every elite athlete.

When asked about the difficulty of adding to his major trophy cabinet after winning two relatively early in his career, Rahm didn’t hide behind standard athlete clichés.

“No. God, it’s hard. It’s very hard, yeah,” he answered at the press conference. “I think it’s part of being a pro athlete. I think it’s a part of being a human being, right?” he added. “I don’t think you’re ever always 100 percent convinced something is going to happen, and that’s why you put the effort that you put in.”

🤔 golf trivia

This Should Be an Easy One, Right?

01/10

Name the Analyst Who Joked about "DeChambeau Grand Slam of Missed Cut"

Brandel ChambleeEamon LynchGrant BooneJohnson Wagner

Oops, bogey!

But don’t worry, there’s still the back 9 to prove your high golf IQ

PLAY GOLF TRIVIA

Despite those doubts, Rahm arrives at Royal Birkdale with plenty of reasons to believe. Since joining LIV Golf in late 2023, he has remained one of the circuit’s most consistent performers, winning in Hong Kong and Mexico while also capturing consecutive LIV Golf Individual Championships in 2024 and 2025.

That form, however, has not consistently carried over into golf’s biggest events. Rahm won three PGA Tour events in 2023, including consecutive victories at the Sentry Tournament of Champions and The American Express before making the move to LIV. This season, his runner-up finish at the PGA Championship remains his lone serious major title challenge. He finished T38 at the Masters before missing the cut at the U.S. Open, adding to the scrutiny around his performances on golf’s biggest stages.

“I don’t need more specific because doubt is such a general thing,” he added. “I think we all have it, but again, it’s part of just working hard and try to give yourself the best chance.”

Besides dealing with doubt, Rahm must also consider the unique demands of Royal Birkdale. With firm, fast-running fairways expected throughout the week, the Spaniard believes patience and precision will outweigh raw power.

Drawing on his experience at Carnoustie in 2018, Rahm admitted he learned the hard way that relying too heavily on the driver can backfire in Open conditions.

“I may draw a little bit of inspiration from Carnoustie because right now it’s playing somewhat similar,” Rahm said. “I thought, ‘Oh, the rough is thin. You can miss fairways,’ and I tried to hit one too many drivers and ended up going home on Saturday.”

Rahm expects long irons to play a much bigger role off the tee this week, explaining that finding fairways becomes even more valuable when the course is running firm. “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,” he said.

For Rahm, the answer lies in going out there and making it happen, regardless of previous slip-ups and close calls.

“It’s not easy to win a major, and it’s a tough task for anybody on the field,” he stated. “You just have to go and do it.”

Contending with doubt isn’t the only hurdle awaiting Rahm, who is still chasing his first major championship since winning the 2023 Masters.

Is Rahm impatient to land another major title?

Although Rahm has continued to thrive on LIV Golf, his wait for another major victory has now stretched beyond three years. However, the Spaniard doesn’t believe impatience is the right way to look at it.

“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,” he stated. “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.”

While Rahm arrives as one of the contenders, he knows Royal Birkdale is unlikely to reward aggression alone. For a player renowned for his power, course management, patience, and disciplined decision-making off the tee could ultimately determine whether he finally ends his major drought.