Hours After Getting Brutally Criticized, Jon Rahm’s Major Heartbreak Heals With Golf World’s Thoughtful Messages

It’s fair to say that this week wasn’t going well for Jon Rahm. Ahead of the U.S. Open, the current world no. 8 injured his foot. Rahm grimaced in pain before withdrawing from LIV Golf Houston last Saturday, playing only 24 holes that weekend. Subsequently, the Spaniard had to pull out of the U.S. Open despite landing at Pinehurst on Tuesday. 

But obviously, you can’t keep the U.S. Open away from a former champion. The 29-year-old is cozied up on his couch with a cup of coffee and the broadcast turned on. The mug had ‘Aita’ etched on it, which in his mother tongue Basque means ‘Father’. Rahm captioned the post, “Posted up and ready to enjoy the show.”

Fans flooded the post with positive comments within a few minutes. That should comfort the Spaniard after the heavy censure from European legend Paul McGinley a few days ago. The three-time Ryder Cup winner straightway dubbed his season as ‘ very poor’.

Before his withdrawal from Texas, the Spaniard was the only LIV Golf pro in the current season to post top-10 finishes in all seven tournaments. However, Jon Rahm failed to translate that form to Augusta National and Valhalla. The two-time major winner was T45 at the Masters which was really disheartening for the golf community as they expected more from the defending champion and went on to miss the cut at the PGA Championship. 

Noting that McGinley said, “He’s had a very poor season, particularly when it comes to major championships so far. He’s not the same competitor he was this time last year. He doesn’t seem to have the same spring in his step. Last year before defecting to LIV Golf, Rahm had quite a year on the PGA Tour. He won four events including the Augusta showdown. Additionally, he carded T10 at the US Open and T2 at The Open. 

Rahm, notably, insisted at the U.S. Open press conference that he only had two bad weeks, not a bad season. And, from the comments under his post, it is evident that fans are more concerned about his health than his poor show at the majors. 

Fans are missing. Jon Rahm in action

Jon Rahm’s team, Legion XIII, was the first to stand by their captain. Rahm’s team, currently second in the season-long standing, wrote, “It’s not the same without you, Captain. Rest up.” Rahm, although he hasn’t lifted any silverware individually, has done so with his team twice this year. The Spaniard even stayed back in Houston until Sunday, despite the injury.

Jon Rahm found overwhelming support from his fans as well. “Bounce back even stronger Rahmbo”, and “Wish you were playing brother. heal up and come back better than ever”, comments like these filled his Instagram feed. 

Rahm said that the infection between his pinky toe and the next was under control, but the pain was still there. Describing the injury, he said it’s more of a lesion. Regardless, some fans were still curious to know more details. One of them asked, “Is that an infected lesion between your little toe and next toe?”

However, a few voices were still upset with his LIV Golf move. Some sarcastically commented that’s the cost of ‘growing the game’ while playing less. Others even reminded him that Tiger Woods played the 2008 U.S. Open with a broken leg. And, he won despite playing in a Monday playoff. One fan sarcastically commented, “Tiger won the US Open with a broken leg. Nice bandaid.”

But Jon Rahm can surely look forward to the positive comments from the larger section of fans. The Spaniard is slated to tee off at LIV Golf Nashville next week. But, of course, it depends on the prognosis of his injury. After the Tuesday press conference, Rahm hasn’t revealed any timeframe for his potential return.