The Masters: Jon Rahm Rallies After Rough Start on Thursday
By Tim Letcher
Jon Rahm had a tough start on Thursday at the Masters. But he didn’t let it bother him and he wound up shooting a very solid round of 69.
Jon Rahm was considered one of the favorites this week at the Masters. He’s the second-ranked player in the world and has yet to win a major, although his time is certainly coming.
But for a guy who was thought to be a contender, Rahm got off to a tough start on Thursday at Augusta National. However, by the time he was done, he had more than made up for it.
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As many players have over the years, Rahm struggled his way around Amen Corner. He parred the 10th hole, his first hole of the day, before running into his first bit of trouble.
On the tough, par-4 11th, his drive went way, way, way left. He pitched out with his second, then left his third short of the green. He got up-and-down, but it was a bogey five for the Spaniard.
On the famous par-3 12th hole, Rahm hit his tee shot into the greenside bunker. He pitched out to about four feet, but missed the putt, suffering his second consecutive bogey and slipping to 2-over par.
The old Rahm may have lost the round at that point. But he is controlling his emotions much better these days, and it showed on Thursday.
On the par-5 13th hole, Rahm recorded his first birdie of the day. He parred the 14th before another birdie at the par-5 15th. He would par 17 and 18 before a birdie at the 18th gave him a 1-under 35 on his first nine.
He carried that momentum to the front nine. After a par on the first hole, Rahm eagled the second after a monstrous 353-yard drive. He then birdied the par-4 third hole and he was 4-under on his round.
Rahm was unable to get anything else going on his second nine. He did suffer a bogey at the par-4 seventh hole, dropping him back to 3-under on his round. And that’s where he would finish, with a round of 69.
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He trails early leader Paul Casey by four shots heading into Friday’s second round. But Rahm did not take himself out of contention on Thursday after his bad start. Instead, he fought back, gained momentum in the middle of his round, then finished solidly. That’s probably not something the Jon Rahm of two years ago might have been able to do.