Jon Rahm had a solid weekend, tying for eighth place at the PGA Championship. The tournament provided him with a clear opportunity to play for the win. Perhaps that was to be expected, given he ultimately finished seven shots back of the eventual winner, Scottie Scheffler. Despite his strong start and an impressive performance throughout much of the event, late mistakes marred his chances for a better finish.
A member of LIV Golf’s Legion XII team, Rahm rode into the final round with infinite optimism. His driver and putter gave him consistently good play from tee to green, keeping him in the tight races to insert himself into contention. He still made a few magic moments, like with this perfect 5-wood drive to the 14th green. Then he played the par-5 15th hole perfectly to set up an easy eagle chance just off the green.
His overall game was encouraging as he finished top 30 in the field with his approach play for the week. Yet, his short game totally abandoned him down the stretch. He was battling key strokes in his short game. It was the last five holes though, that were the most grueling and determined the fate of his championship run.
In a stroke of bad luck during his moment of frustration, Rahm watched a makeable birdie putt lip out on the 13th hole. He would find further adversity on the course itself. He went on to bogey the 16th hole before making double bogeys on the last two holes, the 17th and 18th. After exhibiting such brilliance earlier in the competition, his troubles resulted in a spectacular crash.
Rahm’s best previous finish at a major was a noncompetitive tie for seventh at last year’s Open Championship. That was an extremely impressive performance too, as it was his first time in contention at a major since claiming victory at the 2023 Masters. Even with the disappointment, Rahm acknowledged that just being back in contention was a good sign.
“If there’s ever somebody that’s sitting right here that tells you nerves weren’t a part of it, they’re clearly lying. It’s the main thing we do as a professional sport; it’s controlling what goes through your mind,” – Jon Rahm.
Looking back on his game, Rahm admitted that, like with any player in a situation like that, his nerves got to him on the final sequence. He stated, “I think it was a bit of nerves. Can’t pinpoint exactly right now. I’ll go back to what happened. I didn’t feel like I rushed anything. I didn’t feel like the process was bad.”
Even though the finish on the last few holes was disappointing, Rahm said he was happy with his run in the tournament. “God, it’s been a while since I had that much fun on a golf course, 15 holes,” he remarked, highlighting the enjoyment he derived from competing at such a high level again.
He acknowledged the agony of his deep-game implosion. “The last three holes, it’s a tough pill to swallow right now,” Rahm admitted, reflecting on how quickly fortunes can change in competitive golf.
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