Jon Rahm started the British Open in style on Sunday, scoring four birdies in his first seven holes to rocket up the rankings.
His form dwindled in the closing stages at Royal Troon, however, and he finished with a three-under 68 to finish one under par overall, but ultimately tied for seventh, his best finish in a major this season. At the Masters, Rahm tied for 45th, raising doubts about his condition. He missed the cut at the PGA Championship and withdrew from the U.S. Open due to a toe infection.
The two-time major champion struggled at the start of the week but bounced back to finish strong, but he might have been better with more success on the par-5s, which he has played at even par in all 10 major rounds this season.
“The par 5s are not easy at Augusta, with the wind conditions,” Rahm said after Sunday’s round.
“I played two rounds at the PGA and played horrible. It’s been the same this week. When I had chances, the putts just didn’t go in. I had three or four putts inside 10 feet and neither went in. Then on Friday I hit the ball in the water off the tee on the 16th hole. I don’t think there’s anything in particular. You can argue I made a couple of bad decisions off the tee, but it was mostly just bad swings at the wrong time, putts that didn’t go in or just unlucky situations. That’s it.”
Rahm started the week with a 2-over 73, but bounced back with a 1-under 70 on Saturday and then signed for a 1-over 72 in tough conditions in the third round.
Rahm ultimately couldn’t make the putts he needed to, but he still recorded his best score of the week and of any major tournament this season.
“I played well, but I just didn’t hit my iron shots well enough to have a birdie chance,” Rahm said.
“I hit a lot of long putts for birdies and had some close putts that just didn’t go in. But I had two long par putts on the last two holes that went in, so it all evened out.”
Rahm may not have lived up to the expectations he set for himself, but it’s hard to say the 2023 Masters champion didn’t work hard to get here and win.
Savannah Lee Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation Playing Through. Follow us for more golf articles. Follow You can follow us on all major social platforms. You can also follow us on Twitter Follow Her Instagram account is @golf_girl_sl.
