Jon Rahm received an official code of conduct warning after tossing his club on the 15th hole at the Open Championship on Friday, the R&A confirmed.
Rahm hit his tee shot with an iron and immediately could see the ball was going off to the left. The Spaniard then threw the club into the ground and it took a big bounce before landing.
Rahm was informed of the warning by tournament officials as he approached the 17th hole at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England.
A second offense this weekend could result in a two-stroke penalty.
Rahm knew why the official was approaching him.
“I didn’t think about it until I saw him on 17, and when he was walking up to me, I knew exactly what it was for, but I didn’t think about it in the moment,” Rahm said of whether he might draw some discipline.
Rahm was frustrated after hitting the ball and saw it going in a different direction than he envisioned. He went on to bogey the hole.
“It was just a bad shot,” Rahm said. “Actually on the tee it was beautiful, left-to-right wind, perfect distance for a 6-iron for me, aim at the left bunker and just make a driving range swing that I’ve made hundreds of thousands of times, and it was just such a bad miss, honestly.
“Trying to hit a fade and draw it — I had a few pulled missed left shots. (On) 14, I played it almost like I did yesterday, right? I think the unexpected, how unexpected that shot was, and shouldn’t have reacted that way, but I did.”
Rahm shot 3-under 67 on Friday and is 4-under 136 for the tournament. He is part of a nine-player logjam tie for eighth place after a second round that consisted of six birdies and three bogeys.
After the incident, Rahm finished well with two birdies and a par.
“Yeah, the last three holes I hit it beautifully,” Rahm said. “All three fairways, three chances at birdie and one for eagle. Yeah, it was a really beautiful finish.”
–Field Level Media
