Houston, TX …

Spanish rookie sensation Jon Rahm is heading next week to his maiden Masters appearance inspired by memories of two of the greats of Spanish golf – the late Seve Ballasertos and double Masters winning Jose Maria Olazabal.

Rahm qualified for the Masters in brilliantly eagling the final hole to capture the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines.

Then after finishing top-5 in the WGC – Mexico Championship the 22-year old battled World No. 1 Dustin Johnson all the way to lose 1 down in the final of last week’s WGC – Dell Match-Play Championship.

Jon Rahm winning 2017 Farmer Insurance Open

“Looking back on last week I am pretty proud of what I achieved in Austin and why wouldn’t I be,” he said ahead of the second round of the Shell Houston Open.

“I was 5-down on Dustin, and the best played in the world, after just nine holes but then managed to take him to the 18th.  Of course, if that front nine had of been different but to just make it through to the last 16 was a big accomplishment for me.

“But then going as far as I did and all the way to the final against the current No. 1 in the world was fantastic for me.”

In the twelve months since the 2015 Masters and next week Rahm has gone from well outside the top 500 to be currently ranked the World No. 14.

And he’s heading to his first Masters and the assurance of contesting all four Majors in a single season also for a first time in his short pro career.

“There is so many reasons to be looking forward to next week and my first Masters,” he said.

“I’ve only talked at this stage to Phil (Mickelson) about playing a practice round with him but I do intend to get in contact with Jose Maria Olazabal and hopefully Sergio (Garcia) and play a round with them.”

Ballasteros captured the Masters in 1980 and 1983 while Olazabal was fitted with Augusta National member jackets in 1994 and 1999.

But Rahm’s first memory of the Masters was as a then 13-year old and 2004 when Phil Mickelson won the first of now three Masters titles.

“My first memory of Augusta was Phil making that putt on 18 to win his first Masters,” he said.

“But since then I have looked at many videos of Seve winning and also Jose Maria winning twice and those wins were awesome.

“And I would say Spain has a pretty decent record at winning at Augusta National”.