Brooklyn, Mass. – John Rahm survived a late left-handed case and a stolen golf ball in his first round and became only the eighth player to go back-to-back at the US Open.
Reham could only shrug his shoulders and smile as two boys took the bolt from where his wild tee shot ended on the 18th hole. The drive turned right to the left and exited a broadcast tent.
It was one of those moody times where he would break into endless soliloquy with himself at the Country Club for Mercy. It just left him. Two shots behind the morning pacifiers.
“I’m sure I know who they are. I know two boys running in opposite directions with a smile on their faces. I’m 100% sure I’ve seen them with two stolen children,” Rahm later laughed. Really happy. “
Rehm thought he would have blown his tournament one-on-one hole, then the ball’s fuzz just fell into a hole. The Spanish star had pulled his drive so far on the 17th hole that he feared he would be out of bounds.
He reloaded and hit temporarily, but the ball also went to the left towards Francis Oimet’s childhood home. Rehman caught the third ball as his first ball landed on the property.
The seven-time PGA Tour winner had run the ball beautifully before the final two holes, but his three next nine birdies were offset by three bogeys on the third, ninth and 15th holes. His own guess was “I had about five iron shots completely scanned” as the freshman crosswind came into play.
“I did not realize how close I was. I know how lucky I was to be in that hole, “he said after escaping on the 17th.
“I think I played good golf all day. I just saw a lot of (put) approaching and not getting inside, and hitting two weird drives in the last two holes and somehow ending up with two birdie putts and the last one equalizing in the U.S. first round. Open up, this is a big deal, “he said.
“A lot of this was uncertainty and doubt in my mind because we weren’t sure where the wind was coming from and didn’t give 100% time for the shot, … but I’m not worried.”
