Jon Rahm couldn’t avoid Brooks Koepka’s contentious comments Friday night at the Ryder Cup. Rahm would’ve rather that his friends not send him text messages regarding Koepka’s remarks that Rahm acted “like a child” during their afternoon fourball match, but the Spaniard seemed to take it all in stride.
Rahm hit a sign with his club out of frustration on Friday after leaving a 10-foot putt short on the 17th hole to possibly tie the match.
“That doesn’t even register to a low level of Jon anger on the golf course,” said Rahm on Saturday after another foursomes victory alongside Tyrrell Hatton.
“As far as I’m concerned, I’m very happy with who I am, and I needed to do that at that moment to let off some steam and play the hole I wanted to do. And clearly it worked out, played two great shots and got a little lucky on the putt. I needed to do what I needed to do to perform under those circumstances.”
Koepka had this to say to the press on Friday after Rahm made two eagles over the last three holes to tie the match: “I mean, I think me and Scottie birdied, what did we say, 14, we birdied 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and then lost by two. So yeah. I mean, I want to hit a board and pout just like Jon Rahm did. But, you know, it is what it is. Act like a child. But we’re adults. We move on.”
Jon Rahm of Team Europe reacts alongside Brooks Koepka of Team United States on the second green during the Friday afternoon fourball matches of the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf Club on September 29, 2023 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Koepka’s comments seemingly backfired as he and Sheffler suffered the worst loss in Ryder Cup history on Saturday morning after Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg crushed the American heavyweights, 9 and 7.
After Rahm and Hatton won their Saturday morning foursomes match, the Spaniard addressed Koepka’s comments for the first time.
“I mean, I’m not going to stand here and say I’m a, you know, perfect example on what to do on a golf course,” said Rahm. “I don’t think either of us two are (laughter). But I play and compete.”
Hatton, who is also known for having a short fuse, added: “I’m just sitting here watching the TV.”