Jon Rahm canned a 33-footer for eagle on Marco Simone’s closing hole to halve his four-ball match and give Europe a 6-1 advantage on the first day of the Ryder Cup.
That, however, was the fourth time Friday that Rahm sent the home crowd into a frenzy.
JON RAHM 😲#TeamEurope | #RyderCup pic.twitter.com/zSbR5vMbSE
— Ryder Cup Europe (@RyderCupEurope) September 29, 2023
The first came during Friday morning's foursomes session with Tyrrell Hatton. On the par-3 seventh, Rahm's tee shot from 209 yards nearly resulted in a hole-in-one, but instead clanked off the flagstick and settled inches from the cup — meaning Hatton didn't even need to putt.
"I think it might have been too much if it goes in, but it got the job done," Rahm said afterward. "I was telling Tyrrell, one of those shots was a perfect number, both seven and eight, and I'm just glad I'm able to hit a tee shot and put it in the same spot. Obviously, be amazing to make it."
NEAR ACE FROM @JonRahmpga! 🤯#TeamEurope | #Rydercup pic.twitter.com/1QaM3hAppE
— Ryder Cup Europe (@RyderCupEurope) September 29, 2023
But Rahm wasn't done. On the par-4 10th, Rahm chipped in for par from off the green to halve the hole and maintain a 2-up lead over Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns.
RAHMBO!!!!! 💪#TeamEurope | #RyderCup pic.twitter.com/T5MJZn2rCm
— Ryder Cup Europe (@RyderCupEurope) September 29, 2023
Rahm and Hatton would win, 4 and 3, notching the first point of the Ryder Cup en route to helping the Europeans sweep the morning session 4-0.
However, the Spaniard had more fireworks in store for the afternoon fourball session, which he played with Nicolai Højgaard.
On the par-4 16th, Rahm added another chip-in to his highlight reel, this time from the rough adjacent to the green. That won the hole for Rahm and Højgaard to pull even with Scheffler and Brooks Koepka.
Scheffler and Burns, though, won the ensuing hole, meaning Rahm and Højgaard had one final chance to tie and beef up Europe’s lead.
The huge eagle putt did just that, and capped off a memorable performance from Rahm.
