The Open Championship was testing players mentally over the first two days, with Jon Rahm seeing red on the par 3 15th, leaving him with a warning from The R&A.
Sitting two-under for his round, the two-time Major winner came to the tough par 3 looking to push on, but his pulled iron led to a club throw which went against the Code of Conduct policy enforced at the Major championships.
Although Rahm wasn't penalized for the club throw, he was given a warning by officials, with the Spaniard going on to make a bogey on the hole the club throw occurred at.
The R&A explained at the start of the week that the policy of “serious misconduct” is in effect this week at Royal Birkdale.
In a statement, it read: "If a player’s (or their caddie’s) behavior is so far removed from what is expected in the spirit of the game of golf, in accordance with Rule 1.2b, the Chief Referee, in consultation with the Chief Championships Officer, may issue an official warning or apply a penalty of two strokes or disqualification, taking account of the frequency, impact or potential impact, intent and severity of the misconduct.
"An official warning does not need to be given prior to applying a penalty of two strokes or disqualification."
At the US Open last month, Joaquin Niemann received a two-stroke penalty when he threw a club during round one of the Major championship.
Becoming the first golfer to receive a penalty from the new Code of Conduct policy, the USGA stated that the act "was determined to be serious misconduct under Rule 1.2b."
Niemann had made a nine on the par-4 6th in round one, which was upped to an 11 with his code of conduct penalty.
The Chilean drove two balls out of bounds to the right, and eventually signed for an eight-over-par 78.
Regarding Rahm, he went on to make back-to-back birdies at the 16th and 17th to get to three-under-par for the day and, although he missed a birdie chance at the last, he signed for a second round 67.
Putting himself four-under for the championship, he is four back of leader Lucas Herbert, who became just the second player in Open Championship history to card a 62.
Shortly after the Australian did that, Sam Burns matched him with a hole out from the bunker at the last, with the American vaulting 100 places after a three-over first round on Thursday.
