Well, in sports some battles are outrightly won, while some are devastatingly lost from the most bizarre positions. Golf is no stranger to that. Phil Mickelson had called himself an “idiot” after taking on a heroic shot, upon retrospect, he didn’t need to in 2006. We witnessed a shocker just the other day, so many years later and Jon Rahm the 2021 U.S. Open winner came out as a ‘savior’ for the Northern Irishman’s failed putt reactions. Although he did not play at the Pinehurst No. 2 due to a foot infection, the Spaniard had a different view as he watched the finale on the couch.

All while watching his fellow LIV golfer, Bryson DeChambeau win his 2nd U.S. Open title with a one-shot lead. The 2x major winner faced a similar situation in 2021. He birdied the 17th and 18th holes to win by one shot at Torrey Pines, and the final birdie putt was a hard breaker on the right on par-5 to claim his first major title. Understanding the sentiment, he defended the World #2 publicly.

Jon Rahm admits a certain difficulty around Rory McIlroy’s title miss

As reported by NUCLR Golf on their X handle; John Rahm emphasized the final putt that McIlroy missed. He said, “One of the things that absolutely burned me was [the on-course reporter] severely underplayed how difficult Rory’s putt on 18 was.”  

The putt slid across the hole on the lower side, and the resulting bogey shockingly left him a shot out of a playoff. “When he said it’s a left-center putt, if you hit that putt left-center and miss the hole, you’re off the green because of how much slope there is. You could see Rory aiming for at least a cup left from 3 feet. They severely underplayed how difficult that putt was. Severely.”  

Rahm argues that this description did not adequately capture the challenge of the putt. It resulted in a crushing loss in a major for McIlroy, who left the course in tears, without speaking to reporters.

Rahm acknowledged the limitations faced by commentators in effectively communicating the on-field scenarios. “It’s hard to truly explain how difficult the golf course can be, and a lot of times they only have those five seconds to say something quickly, so I also don’t blame them.”. Unless they have firsthand experience playing the course, it can be challenging to convey the intricacies to the audience. Moving on, he mentioned the scientist’s final hole play and how good of a shot he played which helped him win.

What Rahm had to say on Bryson DeChambeau’s U.S. Open win?

After McIlroy missed the putt, it was DeChambeau, who had the chance to take the advantage. He certainly did the same, his bunker shot on 18 is what made Rahm chant his name. The Spaniard insisted it is one of the best, comparing it with the legends Tom Watson‘s chip at Pebble on 16, Phil Mickelson at Baltusrol on the 18th hole, and Tiger Woods‘s chip in Augusta. He concluded the statement with, ”But on 18, having to do it to actually win the tournament has got to be one of the best.”

When asked about his current situation, he affirmed, “I’m feeling good,” adding, “The wound is still there. I’m not going to show any graphic pictures, but it’s still there. It’s manageable now.“ Jon Rahm hopes to mirror the feat the LIV golfer has attained. It could not happen in the third major as infection forced him to withdraw from both tournaments, including LIV Golf Houston. Additionally, as a fellow golfer, his stance on the missed putt on a tough Pinehurst No. 2 course demonstrates empathy for McIlroy.

How do you see this exchange of words? Tell your thoughts in the comment section below.