Jon Rahm did nothing on Thursday to change the high expectations many have for him at Bellerive. But winning his first major isn’t the only thing on his mind this week at the PGA Championship. He’s got a new fiancée and a custom engagement ring to talk about.
Rahm took time following his two-under opening round to detail to reporters his recent engagement to longtime girlfriend Kelley Cahill.
The rising PGA Tour star surprised the gathered media when he acknowledged he actually had proposed prior to the U.S. Open in June.
When asked if he had trouble picking a ring, Rahm answered in the negative. In fact, he designed it himself.
“I designed it, no. So Brian Stuard’s fiancee or wife is a jeweler and is a really good friend of ours. So Kelley was talking to her. She knew what Kelley wanted, but I had my own ideas. Basically, with her help, I designed the ring. She wanted to pick the diamond, but I knew what I wanted. I designed what’s around the ring. It’s supposed to look like a crown and an engraving inside. I had a big part in it. It wasn’t exactly what she wanted, but she loves it. It’s a little more personal like that.”
It seems nerves didn’t play much of a factor, for as Rahm explained, the two have been dating since college, living together for two years and “both felt like a married couple already.”
The same logic prevented Rahm from stressing too much about the actual proposal.
“In my case, I was 100 percent sure she was going to say yes. I wasn’t nervous much the only worry I had was to make the day as perfect as possible. I got lucky that it turned out pretty perfect.”
As for the potential wedding date, Rahm says the couple are taking it one step at a time: “We decided that for the first six months to pretty much the end of the year, we were not going to think about it too much, just enjoy the process. It’s not like we have spare time as golfers to do it whenever.”
Who knows, if Rahm continues his strong play, he could have a Wanamaker trophy by the time they tie the knot.