(Editor’s note: This is the second article of a four-part series explaining the mission of the United States Golf Association. The USGA, which governs the game of golf in Mexico and the United States, serves several functions. What exactly is the USGA? Why is the organization important? This series delves into these questions and others. This article looks at how the organization not only crowns champions but also works to preserve the game’s history and ensure that future generations remember important people and events from different cultures and backgrounds that make golf unique.)
Jon Rahm’s right fist clenched, and his uppercut in the air would have made Mohammed Ali proud. The crowd behind the 18th green erupted, and Rahm bounded toward the cup, smiling and shouting. He had just holed a long birdie putt at Torrey Pines South and, on that Sunday evening, was on the cusp of winning his first major championship, the 2021 U.S. Open.
Hitting balls in preparation for an unlikely playoff, he learned he had officially won. Rahm hugged his caddie, Adam Hayes, then picked up his son, Kepa, who had been in the arms of Rahm’s wife, Kelley.
