With the 2021 edition of the Ryder Cup now just a couple of weeks away, it would be logical for each of the 24 players involved to have as much rest as humanly possible and for 23 of this select pack, that is exactly what they have decided to do.
However, there is one person who stands out from the bunch and with the current world number one deciding to keep as active as possible, he will look to prove just why he is the best golfer on the planet today.
The man in question is Jon Rahm and with the Spaniard deciding that participation is better than relaxation, the next item on his agenda is success in the upcoming Fortinet Championship in Napa, California.
Many will wonder just why Rahm has decided to swing his clubs at this particular tournament and although a prize purse of $7m will be a rather pertinent factor, it is not money which acts as the primary driver.
Instead of more potential riches, it is the sharpening of primary skills which is deemed all the more important and with every other Ryder Cup participant putting their feet up, Rahm will surely be the favourite to win the PGA Tour’s next offering.
A statement that is currently backed up by the bookmakers and with the 26-year-old being positioned as the clear favourite, the Fan Duel sportsbook and its counterparts are bracing themselves for a substantial payday to punters.
Because although there are no certainties when it comes to sports betting and especially with golf, backing the world number one at odds of +500 is a wager that seems as safe as houses – or at least as safe as a golfing bet can be.
With their being such a wide field in terms of entrants, there is always the possibility that someone else steps up to the plate or the current rankings leader has an off day or two across the course of the weekend.
Then again, Rahm is not entering the Fortinet Championship to make up the numbers, instead he is looking to record the lowest number in terms of total shots across four entertaining days of golfing action.
In addition to that, should the formbook be adhered to, it would send out a warning shot to the 12 American stars that will be representing the nation in the upcoming Ryder Cup and one that says, “even on your week off, I still mean business”.
The flipside to all of this, is that participation in the Fortinet is not necessary and a bad showing in Napa may derail the confidence that constantly exudes out of the latest in the line of great Spanish golfing stars.
Of course, that confidence is backed up by an abundance of genuine talent and these two attributes combined, have been the reason for his dominance over the past couple of years – dominance which saw him scoop the U.S. Open earlier this year.
That win back in June was undoubtedly the pinnacle of his career from an individual point of view and now it is time to buddy up to his European rivals, as he and 11 of his continental teammates get set for golfing war.
A war that was last played out in France three years prior, as Europe dominated proceedings and after winning by a score of 17.5 to 10.5, it was one of the more comprehensive Ryder Cup successes in recent memory.
Which means the American team will undoubtedly be out for revenge this time around and it is revenge which has needed to be paused for an additional 12 months, as the grip of COVID-19 has held firm across the sporting landscape.
Now though, that grip has been loosened enough for the show to go on and even for those who do not necessarily consider themselves fans of the sport, the Ryder Cup is arguably the purest theatre of all.
Theatre that will be played out at the Whistling Straits course in Wisconsin and if Jon Rahm can lead Europe to victory, he will be able to point to his warmup at the Fortinet Championship as one of the reasons why.