Rahm, on day one of the US Open.EZRA SHAW (Getty Images via AFP)
It was widely proclaimed that the Los Angeles Country Club golf course was attractive, unknown to most and most importantly exclusive, located in Beverly Hills and offering beautiful views of the California city. “I have great memories of it, it’s a great field,” concluded Jon Rahm near the PlayBoy mansion – next to the pitch because legend has it Hugh Hefner was not allowed to become a member – because he played at the university a decade ago had tournament. It was also rightly said that attention was paid to the smallest detail and, incidentally, that every hole was riddled with difficulties. None like the rough, wild stripes of Bermuda shorts that don’t hide but soak up every ball that lands on their skirts; and like the greens that were real ice rinks. But the field was small and from day one the Romantics complained that it wouldn’t be a US Open as tradition dictates, given that history has it that they win this tournament with very few players under par. Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele, leaders at -8, set the record in majors history with 62 strokes – level with Brendan Grace (British 2017) – albeit with a bit of cheating, as the par of the course is usually 70-72. Far away from Rahm (-1) and its golf of contrasts.
Like Michael Jackson, dressed all in black and dressed in white (hat, gloves and shoes), Rahm received a faint applause as he entered the 10th tee – starting the second round – as it was still early for the little one Risers But the day started crookedly, a taste of what was about to happen… “Ball!” he cried, raising his left arm to warn spectators that they could take a good shot. It didn’t happen, but he spotted the Bermuda shorts, because before he got to his feet, they weren’t even visible, wrapped in green. While it didn’t bother him too much on this occasion since he took a punch out of the hat that would be worth signing the birdie, the spell, by definition, couldn’t be repeated. His starts were a torment, wood or driver, always straying a hair’s breadth without finding the fairway—it took him seven holes to make it—penalty shots, or at least shots that didn’t give him any birdie options. From the tee, he punished performances that made his life overly complicated and fixed the problems with the putt. But when the swing was corrected and he hit long, straight shots like a candle and sharp irons, the putt failed him, though not so badly because he finished the day at -1 and was alive for the rest of the tournament. But it seems difficult to attack the great like he did at the 2021 US Open or the last Masters.
His starting partner Xander Schauffele fared much better, uncorking the succinct version of a fanged player, dependable and straight on long shots, exquisite on short shots and monumental on putt, a golf champion who claimed his throne by having already made it five Top 5 finishes in the Greats, runners-up in the 2018 PGA Championship and the 2019 Masters. A -8 for history, as does Rickie Fowler, one of the most popular players on the circuit for his charisma and education but also for its competitiveness. However, he had serious problems with his golf for a number of years, making it difficult for him to break through. In this course, however, he regains his game, as he proved in California. He’s yesterday’s Fowler, finishing in the top five in all four majors in 2014, the first player to do so since Tiger Woods nine years earlier. He’s been working on putting and in particular his biggest mistake which was getting the ball off the rough and onto the green. Los Angeles showed he’s finally broken out of the scheme and is aiming for a major win for the first time. His last win was at the Phoenix Open in 2019. And all the winners of this tournament since 2015 (Koepka, Simpson and Woodland) have won the US Open.
Pablo Larrazábal continues to play at a high level, sometimes relaxed, sometimes mature, sometimes enjoying the sport. He’s made it at the PGA Championship and also in Los Angeles, a +1 round – he finished with two bogeys in the last three holes – which explains that he golfs a lot. And Sergio García, solid but struggling with the greens, finished par.
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