#Jon Rahm can become No. 1 golfer if he can finish off Memorial

DUBLIN, Ohio — Jon Rahm is one good round away from realizing a lifelong dream.

Rahm, the 25-year-old Spaniard who seized a commanding four-shot lead in Saturday’s third round of the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village, can elevate himself to No. 1 in the world rankings with a victory Sunday.

Rahm, in treacherous course conditions, shot the low round of the day Saturday with a 4-under 68 to get to 12-under. Ryan Palmer and Tony Finau are tied for second at 8-under, and Danny Willett is 6-under.

Sunday has delicious potential to be a fitting and memorable day for Rahm, because winning the Memorial would be the biggest victory of his career, the No. 1 ranking would come with it and it would join him with legendary Seve Ballesteros as the only Spanish players ever to reach that rarefied air.

“Oh, it’s extremely important — No. 1 in the world,’’ Rahm said. “It’s obviously a big deal. I can’t sit here and try to diminish it and avoid it because it would just be lying to myself. But it is a consequence of me winning [Sunday].’’

Asked about joining Ballesteros, the late king of Spanish golf, Rahm grew emotional.

“It’s always tough to put it into words,’’ Rahm said. “Seve is a huge influence of mine. Thanks to that Ryder Cup in ’97 [in Spain] and his captaincy and the way he inspired many not only in Spain but in Europe, he’s the reason why I’m playing here today. And any time I can do something remotely close to what he did, it’s pretty emotional. I can’t lie. It’s something that deep in my core as a Spaniard and as a player I would love to achieve.’’

A Rahm win coupled with current No. 1 Rory McIlroy finishing worse than in a tie for second would allow Rahm to leapfrog McIlroy, who’s 10 shots off the lead at 2-under.

Rahm missed the cut in his only other Memorial appearance, in 2017, when he shot 73-77. He didn’t play well in the first three days of last week’s Workday Charity Open at Muirfield Village, either, though he closed with a final-round 64.

Rahm clearly has found something in the dirt the past few days to help him solve Muirfield Village, because he’s handling the firm-and-fast conditions that have made the Memorial represent a major championship better than anyone in the field. The course is set to be torn up and reconstructed as soon as the final round is complete Sunday, so the tournament staff is pushing it to the brink.

“I told Adam [Hayes, his caddie] walking down 18 that they should just allow people to come tomorrow in the same conditions we did, cut the greens, make sure they’re the same speed, flags on the same spots, just for people to see,’’ Rahm said. “We were thinking the scratch club champion might not break 80 here today. It’s that difficult a golf course. And I can say, because of that, [Saturday] could be one of the best rounds of golf I’ve played in my life.’’

With the players around him staggered by the conditions, Rahm made a power move on the back nine and seized control of the tournament with a run of birdies on Nos. 13, 14, 15 and 16.

Before that, Finau looked like he was on the verge of separating himself from the pack. The 30-year-old Finau, who has only one career PGA Tour victory, was 12-under as he walked to the 12th tee with four-shot lead at the time and made double-bogey.

He followed that with a bogey on 322-yard 14th, where he tried to drive the green hit his tee shot into the water. That cost Finau his lead, dropping him to 9-under, one shot behind Rahm.

The final dagger to Finau’s day came on No. 17, which he double bogeyed to tumble to 8-under, four shots behind Rahm, whom he’d led by four shots some 90 minutes earlier.

“It was good … and then it wasn’t good,’’ Finau said of his round. “Man, this golf course can get you in a heartbeat. We had a little bit of flashbacks to Shinnecock while we were out there. That’s how firm and fast the greens were.’’

Finau was grouped with Rahm the first two days, so he knows what he’s up against Sunday.

“He’s a world-class player,’’ Finau said. “I don’t think he’s that far off ever. Obviously, he’ll be the guy to catch.’’

Good luck with that.

“My mission [is] just go play good golf and hopefully have a good cushion coming down the stretch, especially on 18 so I can just enjoy that walk,’’ Rahm said.

And his No. 1 ranking.