Jon Rahm angrily vented as his Masters defence did not go to plan in the opening round, with the Spaniard finishing over par following a difficult back nine at Augusta National on Thursday.
Jon Rahm found himself in a fit of anger as he cursed loudly upon hitting a wayward tee shot into the trees on the final hole, concluding a disappointing first round at the Masters.
The current titleholder arrived at Augusta National without a personal victory, however, he guided his Legion XIII to a team triumph at LIV Golf Miami last weekend, together with Tyrrell Hatton, Caleb Surratt, and Kieran Vincent. The Spaniard aims to make history by becoming the first back-to-back Masters champion since Tiger Woods achieved the feat in 2001-2002.
Nevertheless, Rahm faced a challenging beginning to his title defense when his game was disrupted by the blustery conditions at Augusta. He encountered difficulties throughout the first round, ultimately recording a score of 73, one over par.
This included three bogeys in his final five holes, leaving him with back-to-back bogeys as he approached the renowned 18th hole. Unfortunately, his tee shot veered into the trees on the right, prompting a frustrated outburst filled with expletives that resonated with fans worldwide.
Rahm, who recently inked a remarkable £450million contract to join the Saudi-backed LIV series, is facing a challenging situation as he trails behind his fellow LIV star, Bryson DeChambeau.
Despite his high-profile signing and the anticipation surrounding his debut in the 2024 season, Rahm currently finds himself one shot behind DeChambeau, who took the clubhouse lead with an impressive score of 65, finishing at seven-under. This puts Rahm’s hopes of a successful start in the LIV Golf series in a precarious position.
Augusta National can be quite challenging for golfers, thanks to its tricky undulations on the fairways and steeply sloped greens. After playing a round, Rahm shared his frustration with the tough conditions, especially when the wind picks up.
“It’s definitely a tough course,” Rahm complained. “It’s not easy out there, that’s for sure.”
The current Masters champion opted for brevity and seemed slightly exasperated, addressing the media briefly as he prepares for the second round on Friday. Currently, the projected cut line stands at one-over, with 53 golfers positioned above that threshold.
Rahm is treading a fine line. He needs to elevate his performance or face the embarrassment of his title defense coming to an end after only 36 holes.
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