The putter, other times a source of joy for Jon Rahm, is his torture rack this week at the Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona (USA). The Biscayan signed this Friday, in line with his performance on Thursday, a good lap that could have been much better if it hadn’t been for his performance on the greens.
He took 9 of 14 fairways (eight if we discount the 17th hole, a very short par 4 in which he ‘catch’ the green with the first shot) and 83% of the greens, but he stayed at -2.7 strokes winner putting , a very poor statistic. Thus, he was unable to take advantage of many of the birdie options that were created and he only had three holes left, 6, 10 and 17. With bogeys at 3, in which he went well but fell short looking for the flag, and 14 After missing the first shot and going to the bunker with the second, his card was 70 shots, one under par (-5 in total).
The good news is that, even on days when his entire repertoire does not shine, Rahmbo is capable of playing in negative numbers (in golf, paradoxically, positive). Without his version A, the León de Barrika was 15th at the closing of this news and remained four strokes behind the leader at clubhouse, a Sahit Theegala who went to -7 for -12 in total.
Theegala, a Californian of Indian origin who is making his PGA debut this season after a great college career (three-time All-American with Pepperdine), is three shots ahead of the second at press time, Patrick Cantlay, who made -5. He played for the first and last course on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2021 and, after making the Top-10 at Sanderson Farms last October, is approaching his first victory in the elite showing a high ability to produce birdies (seven on the first day and five had yesterday, including three in the first three holes). Rahm, at seven hits, needs a great Saturday to get into the ointment.