Jon Rahm is the first Masters champ to tee it up the very next week on the PGA Tour since Jordan Spieth eight years ago. Admittedly tired, Rahm nonetheless kept his word to the RBC Heritage and had a great answer when asked whether he considered withdrawing.
“I put myself in the shoes of not only the spectators, but the kids as well. If I was one of the kids, I would want to see the recent Masters champion play good or bad, just want to be there,” he said ahead of the tournament.
After opening with a 72, the big-hitting Spaniard torched Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head, South Carolina, with a second-round 64.
As golf stats guru Justin Ray points out, it’s Rahm’s 24th round of 64 or better since 2018, second only to Justin Thomas’ 25.
But after that second round, he was asked a curious question: “Was there ever a thought that maybe just take the weekend off?”
With a puzzled look on his face, Rahm replied: “What, like throw it?”
“No, not throw it,” came the follow up.
A still-puzzled Rahm then said: “I don’t understand what you mean right now.”
Then came the “why play good” question.
“It’s my job, right?” Rahm explained. “It’s like I said in the press conference. People pay their hard-earned money to watch me perform. It’s my job to perform. They don’t care if I slept good or bad, I feel good or bad. It doesn’t matter.
“As a competitor, I’m not ducking anything.”
