The 2025 Ryder Cup will be long remembered for its volatile and chaotic atmosphere. But two weeks later, the heightened emotions from the Battle at Bethpage Black haven’t completely worn off for members of the victorious European team. The evidence? Jon Rahm.
Playing his first tournament since helping win the Ryder Cup, Rahm had a testy exchange with a tournament marshal during his opening round at the Open de Espana.
Here’s what you need to know.
The Open de Espana, a DP World Tour event, is an important one for Rahm, one of the greatest Spanish golfers ever. It’s even more momentous given Rahm’s heroics during Europe’s recent Ryder Cup win.
That’s why it’s understandable that the two-time major champion grew frustrated when his play was lacking in the opening round.
The frustration seemed to boil over on the eighth hole. Rahm was not pleased when he arrived to find his drive in a bad lie in the rough.
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The Associated Press reported that Rahm first exclaimed “What a day, what a day,” along with an added expletive.
That’s when the marshal stepped in.
Having marked Rahm’s ball in the rough with a flag, the marshal attempted to calm the star pro, telling him, “It’s OK.”
But Rahm didn’t take kindly to that comment. According to the AP report, Rahm turned to the marshal and curtly responded, “Don’t tell me it’s OK, please. Thank you,” later muttering, “It’s not OK.”
Rahm’s fiery demeanor on the course is well known at this point. In a recent video with GOLF’s Dylan Dethier conducted alongside fellow LIV pro Tyrrell Hatton, Rahm explained despite the negativity that comes out of his mouth on course, inside his head are only positive thoughts.
“I am, like, irrationally positive in my mind,” Rahm said. “Never lose hope, always hoping for the best on the next shot in any situation — even though my mouth may be saying other things, I firmly believe it. The amount of times I’ll say in Spanish, ‘If you’re going to play like this, go home, what are you doing wasting your time,’ internally I really know i’m just trying to fire myself up yeah because I know, okay, you can do this.”
In the video, Rahm also admitted that when he plays with another fiery competitor, such as Hatton, he can get even more intense.
“To be honest, whenever I play with somebody that might get a little bit more fired up on the course — not just Tyrrell, but anybody — I laugh because I see myself in it.”
Hatton added, “I never understand why he swears in English. He’d get away with it, probably, if he’d just swear in Spanish.”
In the end, Rahm signed for a one-over 72 in Round 1 in Spain. But in Round 2 he got on a good streak early, making three birdies over his first seven holes to reach two under for the tournament, six shots off the lead.
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