Add Jon Rahm to the various PGA Tour gamers who had been annoyed and shocked about final week’s announcement of a partnership between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, the first funder of rival circuit LIV Golf.
Rahm — the No. 2 participant on the earth getting into this week’s U.S. Open — mentioned earlier than a apply spherical on Tuesday that he obtained loads of texts after final week’s announcement however had no solutions.
“I thought my phone was going to catch on fire at one point,” Rahm mentioned. “I think it was that day at one point I told (wife) Kelley I’m just going to throw my phone in the drawer and not look at it for the next four hours because I can’t deal with this anymore.
“I want to have faith that this is the best thing for all of us, but it’s clear that that’s not the consensus. I think the general feeling is that a lot of people feel a bit of betrayal from management. I get the secrecy. It’s just not easy as a player that’s been involved, like many others, to wake up one day and see this bombshell.”
While few particulars of the alliance have been revealed, the Spaniard has tried to needless to say he is able to adapt it doesn’t matter what occurs.
“I think like everybody, we just want some answers and (to) know what the future looks like. I just want to know how it’s going to look like, and that’s about it,” Rahm mentioned. “I’ve gotten to the point where I don’t care that much.”
Rahm’s quick focus this week is making an attempt to win the third main of his profession and second this yr, following his triumph on the Masters in April. He has 4 wins over the previous eight months.
Playing in California has been good for Rahm’s recreation. He gained the U.S. Open two years in the past at Torrey Pines and earlier this yr gained the Genesis Invitational at Riviera, lower than 8 miles (12.87 kilometers) from Los Angeles Country Club.
Rahm’s final go to to LACC was 10 years in the past with Arizona State for the Pac-12 Championship (he completed tenth). The course has modified considerably since then.
The par-72 North Course options the third- and fourth-longest par-three holes in U.S. Open historical past — the 290-yard eleventh and 284-yard seventh.
There’s additionally the sixteenth gap, which at 542 yards is available in tied because the third-longest par-4 in match historical past.
Rahm mentioned the primary three holes current birdie alternatives earlier than “you get kicked in the head” on the remainder of the entrance 9.
“There is a certain flow to the golf course in a U.S. Open that we haven’t seen before. You have par-fours where you’re going to hit driver-wedge every day if you hit the fairway, no matter the wind. And then you have holes that are going to play very long no matter what.”
Rahm has made the lower in 15 straight majors, the longest energetic streak. He additionally has the second-lowest scoring common in majors because the begin of 2020 at 70.38.
“My confidence level is very high. You have to have that belief in yourself as a competitor no matter what happens,” Rahm mentioned. “There’s no magic formula. I’ve just stuck to working on the things that I have to work on, and when you do the little things properly, eventually scores come, and that’s what happened to me this year.”