Jon Rahm’s LIV Golf timeline has been uneven, to say the least. The Spaniard arrived late to the party, getting a huge deal to join the fledgling circuit and although he’s had impressive finishes, he’s yet to break through with an individual victory.
And on Friday, in the opening round of LIV Golf UK at JCB Golf and Country Club in Rocester, England, he added a new variable — being paired with Legion XIII teammate Tyrrell Hatton. It marked the first time Rahm had played with a team member.
He admitted after Friday’s play that it was an awkward experience.
“It’s a weird scenario because, as good friends as you are, you want each other to do good, but you also want to beat each other. I could tell one of us was making a birdie, we first look at each other like, seriously? Don’t get too far away or don’t make many of those, but obviously we want to see each other make birdies,” Rahm said. “My funniest one was his reaction to my chip shot on 6. Being low left, I hit a good shot, and he just froze and looked at me like this. I didn’t know what to do with that reaction, so I was just a little confused down there on the left.”
LIV Golf UK: Photos
Hatton, ever the card, responded with his typical deadpan delivery, chiding Rahm.
“I enjoyed it, but it obviously scared him. It had a nice bit of spin to it, but I was expecting quite a bit — we’re big kids when we’re on the chipping green, so it was a perfect shot for getting some spin on it, and that’s generally, as sad as it is, quite exciting to see,” Hatton said.
.@JonRahmOfficial is your new leader
He’s 6-under with 3 to play in Round 1
#LIVGolf @LegionXIIIgc pic.twitter.com/cDSvu7hSKd
— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) July 26, 2024
The duo certainly didn’t allow the scenario to factor into their rounds. In fact, Rahm matched his best LIV round, posting a birdie on his opening hole (No. 2) and four of the last five en route to a bogey-free 63 that put him two strokes ahead of Andy Ogletree and Abraham Ancer for the individual lead. Hatton was close behind with a 66 that was only marred by an opening double.
With the two playing partners leading the way, Legion took a one-stroke lead in the team competition as well.
Incredibly, Rahm posted his low number without a single birdie on the par-5s.
“It’s funny. I don’t mean to be laughing. Recently, I feel like I’m not doing anything wrong. I’m not making bad swings. I don’t feel like I’m making terrible decisions, but it’s just I’ve got a little streak of bad luck on the par-5s. Didn’t birdie of them at The Open. Didn’t birdie any of them today. I don’t feel like I did anything terribly wrong,” he said. “But this is golf, it happens. There are times when you get going and you enjoy a streak of tournaments where it just seems like everything is going your way. So hopefully today is the start of something like that.”