Rozner: Suddenly, Jon Rahm's fire is applauded

Jon Rahm has really matured.

As proof, the experts point to his superb weekend and huge victory at the Memorial.

You knew that was coming.

You knew that would be the absurd narrative after Rahm dominated the best field of the season and climbed to No. 1 in the world after playing 1-under the final two rounds while second-place finisher Ryan Palmer was 3-over par and Tony Finau -- who at one point had a 3-shot lead Saturday -- shot 11-over par in his final 25 holes.

In reality, nothing is different about the 25-year-old Rahm, who now has four wins on the PGA Tour in four years as a professional and six more on the European Tour.

Over the final 36 holes, Rahm was surgical and strategic, less aggressive than Finau, who went to pieces Saturday afternoon firing at ungettable pins and paying a steep price.

Was it a problem with Finau's temper? Was he out of control on the golf course? Hardly. The man never changes expression. He is as affable as any man on Tour.

But when Rahm makes a mistake, the conversation is always about his temper, a ridiculous story that chases players until they become very successful. Of course, when you're near the lead all the time and on TV frequently, the cameras will find your rage.

Tiger Woods gets angry on the course, but the 15-time major winner is the greatest player of all time, so the media admires his desire to win.

Jordan Spieth is always upset, but he's won three majors. Patrick Reed breaks clubs, but he's a Masters champ. Zack Johnson can snap, but he has victories at Augusta and St. Andrews, the most coveted double in golf.

Now, four years after turning pro Jon Rahm is third fastest ever to world No. 1 -- behind only Woods and Spieth -- and he's not mad anymore. Now, he has poise.

You have to laugh.

On the front nine Saturday, Rahm played so well that he could have easily made 5 more birdies, burning the edge over and over again. Did that make him mad? Of course it did. Doesn't it make you mad when you burn the edge over and over again?

He also played the back brilliantly and as Finau and Palmer piled up bogies, Rahm finally started making putts on a brutal day for scoring.

The tournament was over Saturday night.

In U.S. Open conditions -- courtesy of Jack Nicklaus -- the final round scoring of 76 was the highest since the first round of the 2018 U.S. Open (76) at Shinnecock.

And Rahm was absolutely brilliant.

What's most disappointing about those who claim Rahm has suddenly grown up has been this consistent and fundamental misunderstanding of who he is and where he came from. When Rahm arrived at Arizona State at 17 without knowing a word of English, he attended class freshman year and played with teammates unable to understand anything anyone was saying to him.

You think he didn't grow up quickly under those circumstances? In very little time, he became the No. 1-ranked amateur in the world for a record 60 weeks.

But when he arrived on the PGA Tour, he was constantly criticized for his temper, something I asked him about at Medinah a year ago.

“It's reoccurring and it's funny to me because golf is the only sport where people complain about a player having emotion. In every other sport it's a good thing,” Rahm told me after a practice round for the BMW Championship. “At the same time, people complain when a winner is not displaying enough emotion.

“Pick a side.

“You can always see how I feel and pretty much what's going through my mind when I'm playing golf. For a lot of people, that's entertaining.

“That's how I am. In real life, if I'm happy I'm going to be happy. And if I'm upset, you're going to see I'm upset.

“It's just how I am and I'm never going to change who I am.”

Of course, when he's ranked No. 1 and now one of the favorites heading into major season, his emotion is cheered, not a surprise given the fickle nature of fame.

He has four Top 11s in his last eight majors with three in the Top 4 and the way he played Memorial suggests his first major could be coming very shortly.

When he gets one, his emotion and fire will be applauded by all who previously criticized him.

That's the way it works when you're a star.

Go figure.