Jon Rahm’s U.S. Open tune-up ends in ominous fashion

Jon Rahm hasn’t had the year in 2024 he may have expected, and it might have taken a turn for the worst this weekend.

After a video of Rahm grimacing in pain after a swing during the first round of LIV Golf’s Houston event at the Golf Club of Houston, the two-time major winner made it just six holes into his second round Saturday.

Rahm made a short par putt on the 10th hole (his sixth of the day) before beginning to shake hands with his playing partners as the CW broadcast reported his withdrawal. LIV’s No. 2 player on the season was even par on the day and three under for the tournament, four shots back after he opened with 69 Friday.

On the 7th hole Friday, Rahm winced in clear pain after playing his approach to the par-3. He made par on the hole and then made five birdies offset by one double bogey.

His WD comes just days before he was set to be one of the favorites for next week’s U.S. Open at Pinehurst. Rahm won the 2021 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines for his first major title and added a second last year at the Masters.

LIV Golf broadcaster Arlo White reported Rahm had been dealing with a “cut in between his toes” and received treatment on Friday and before the round on Saturday.

The 29-year-old Spaniard sent shockwaves through the golf world when he chose to sign with LIV Golf in December after a four-win 2023 season, including his victory at Augusta. In seven starts before this week in 2024 for the breakaway PGA Tour rival league, Rahm hasn’t finished worse than 10th, but he has yet to win either.

His results in the first two majors of the year have also been disappointing, finishing T45 in his title defense at the Masters and missing the cut at the PGA Championship. Before the PGA at Valhalla, Rahm had made 18 consecutive cuts in majors, the longest-active streak coming in.

Before missing the cut at Valhalla, he made headlines again for claiming he still wanted to be considered a member of the PGA Tour despite being suspended for joining LIV Golf at the beginning of the year.

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“See you guys keep saying ‘the other side’ but I’m still a PGA Tour member, whether suspended or not,” the 2023 Masters winner said. “I still want to support the PGA Tour. And I think that’s an important distinction to make. I don’t feel like I’m on the other side. I’m just not playing there.”

Rahm’s comments drew the ire of analysts on Golf Channel’s “Live From” program.

“I want to I want to wring his neck through the television,” said Aaron Oberholzer. “I’m that mad, right now. I’m that mad. I mean— and every player in that locker room right now, if they watch that — on the PGA Tour — should be absolutely incensed with him.”

Now, the World No. 3’s status for the year’s third major at Pinehurst, where as of this writing he was tied for the fourth-best odds at +1600, is in doubt.

This is a developing story and will be updated as new information becomes available.