Jon Rahm loses cool, gets round back on track in match play win
Mar 26, 2021, 4:53 PM | Updated: 8:41 pm
Jon Rahm, of Spain, stares at the ball when his birdie putt stopped short of the hole on the No. 17 green during a third round match at the Dell Technologies Match Play Championship golf tournament Friday, March 26, 2021, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
(AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Golf is a frustrating sport.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re young, old, new to the game or a veteran, there are times where things are just not going your way.
Just take a look at former Sun Devil Jon Rahm’s latest round Friday at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.
Facing off against Ryan Palmer, Rahm’s emotions clearly got the best of him.
After trading blows with Palmer on the front nine, the duo headed into the back-half of the round all knotted up. Each had won two holes to remain all square.
Then came the 13th hole.
Remaining all square after winning a hole each to start the back nine, the drivable par-4 was next on the scorecard.
Letting the big dog eat, Rahm landed a missile on the green, setting him up for a likely birdie.
Or so he thought.
After hitting it 293 yards onto the putting surface in one swing of the stick, the Spaniard proceeded to cringe his way to a par thanks to a three-putt from just over 36 feet out.
It’s safe to say the ball did not make it to the next tee box, as Rahm hit his ball into the water with the putter after the hole. He also kicked the ground for good measure.
On the other side of things, Palmer used a 299-yard drive to set himself up for a nice up-and-down for birdie to regain the lead.
Rahm carried over his short-game frustrations to the 14th.
With the three-putt still fresh in his mind, Rahm unloaded a blistering drive. The only problem was it was about 30 yards into the Colorado River on the left side.
And if you still didn’t know how Rahm was feeling after that one, he was sure to let the boaters know.
#jonrahm pic.twitter.com/cxsPmyosoI
— Oliver (@olihoops) March 26, 2021
Luckily for Rahm, Palmer ran into trouble himself, failing to take advantage of the misfire and rolling in a double bogey following a three-putt of his own. Rahm finished the hole two-over par as well.
The Palmer flub opened the door just enough for Rahm, who proceeded to rattle off back-to-back birdies to take a one-hole lead into the 18th.
Just as it looked like Rahm would advance to the round of 16, though, Palmer came back with a birdie of his own on the final hole, extending the round to sudden death.
It didn’t take long, as Rahm won the first playoff hole to advance.
It’s the latest round of a wacky Friday of match play that included Kevin Na giving Dustin Johnson a rules refresher after the No. 1 golfer picked up a putt that was not yet conceded by his playing partner.
Don't see this often.
Kevin Na and Dustin Johnson having a discussion about conceding a putt at the #DellMatchPlay.
Seems like Na wanted to say the putt was good first, while DJ just picked it up. pic.twitter.com/iXJdZLOzOQ
— Cam Rogers (@MrRogers99) March 26, 2021
Kevin Na giving DJ a lesson on scooping a ball before it's officially conceded:
Na: "I know it's this, but you still have to wait until I say something." pic.twitter.com/GVJhXMBMXI
— Ryan Lavner (@RyanLavnerGC) March 26, 2021
We also saw Sergio Garcia drop the mic with a hole-in-one to seal a win in sudden death.
THAT JUST HAPPENED!@TheSergioGarcia makes a walk-off hole-in-one to advance to the Round of 16. pic.twitter.com/FSbzaytTx8
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 26, 2021
Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele, on the other hand, had to sprint to the tee box to make their playoff.
First things first: make your tee time. 🤣 pic.twitter.com/X77hdIXWl1
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 26, 2021
What will we get to see tomorrow?
