OT: Jon Rahm

[Waquoit]

I admit I enjoyed seeing John Rahm meltdown yesterday. "God, it's been a while since I had that much fun on a golf course, 15 holes," Rahm said. "I think it's the first time I've been in position to win a major that close and haven't done it." Almost as if playing years of non-competitive, guaranteed big payoff golf dulls one's killer instinct.

 

[storrsroars]

I admit I enjoyed seeing John Rahm meltdown yesterday. "God, it's been a while since I had that much fun on a golf course, 15 holes," Rahm said. "I think it's the first time I've been in position to win a major that close and haven't done it." Almost as if playing years of non-competitive, guaranteed big payoff golf dulls one's killer instinct.

I wonder if things would've been different w/o those two lip-out putts. Then, instead of chasing Scheffler on the three toughest holes on the course, he's tied or maybe up one.

I hold no ill will towards Rahm. I think he's one of only two or three LIV guys that still have the fire and capability to bring it. Most of the Liv guys have just disappeared, like DJ and Koepka. I reserve my disdain for the simps who use long putters.

 

[IndyLives]

I admit I enjoyed seeing John Rahm meltdown yesterday. "God, it's been a while since I had that much fun on a golf course, 15 holes," Rahm said. "I think it's the first time I've been in position to win a major that close and haven't done it." Almost as if playing years of non-competitive, guaranteed big payoff golf dulls one's killer instinct.

Exactly. My theory is the longer they play non-competitive LIV golf, the more they can't close in Majors. We saw that over the weekend with Rahm and Bryson. Just little, critical mistakes on the back 9. Meanwhile, Scottie and Rory in the Masters were resilient and knew how to close. Top tier players like Koepka and Dustin Johnson have become non-competitive in Majors. These guys sold their legacy for a quick buck ..

 

[uconnfan68]

I don't blame anyone for taking a lot of money. Apparently, it's the most important thing these days. I'll never root for any of them though.

 

[StllH8L8ner]

 

[Spaceman213J]

It reminded me of when I (and a bunch of others) enjoyed Sergio Garcia's meltdown at the 2013 player's championship. He poked the bear or in this case the Tiger, and he fell apart as Tiger closed out another impressive performance.

The funny thing is I think it was 4 or 5 years later I was rooting for Sergio in the masters because that experience really did seem to humble him. He seem more gracious and less entitled after that.

 

[EROCK CONN]

Exactly. My theory is the longer they play non-competitive LIV golf, the more they can't close in Majors. We saw that over the weekend with Rahm and Bryson. Just little, critical mistakes on the back 9. Meanwhile, Scottie and Rory in the Masters were resilient and knew how to close. Top tier players like Koepka and Dustin Johnson have become non-competitive in Majors. These guys sold their legacy for a quick buck ..

Overall fair commentary and yes, Rory did get it done, but let's not act like he was flawless on that back 9 at The Masters -- he made a couple of mistakes and made no putts. And Bryson just beat Rory at last years US Open where again, his flat stick failed him. That said, I think it's fair to say that moving to LIV is not constructive to golf games.

 

[BrysonDeMan]

Exactly. My theory is the longer they play non-competitive LIV golf, the more they can't close in Majors. We saw that over the weekend with Rahm and Bryson. Just little, critical mistakes on the back 9. Meanwhile, Scottie and Rory in the Masters were resilient and knew how to close. Top tier players like Koepka and Dustin Johnson have become non-competitive in Majors. These guys sold their legacy for a quick buck ..

Rory and Scheffler played 19 events in 2024
Bryson played 18
he gets to play in all 4 majors and Ryder Cup (3rd in standings even with no OWGR points for LIV players)
seems pretty comfortable to me
LIV does have too many old guys (with DJ now one of them) .... but still plenty of good younger talent (Bryson, Niemann, Rahm, Puig, Herbert,etc)
Sergio still plugging along, Patrick Reed starting to play better (at least as well as Spieth)
Cam Smith & Koepka seemed to have mailed it in but that's all on them

 

[martyn]

I admit I enjoyed seeing John Rahm meltdown yesterday. "God, it's been a while since I had that much fun on a golf course, 15 holes," Rahm said. "I think it's the first time I've been in position to win a major that close and haven't done it." Almost as if playing years of non-competitive, guaranteed big payoff golf dulls one's killer instinct.

Same here, and even more enjoyed the second round minus 8 departure of Phil Mickelson, the guy who said of his Saudi Arabian assassin-sponsor, "Everybody makes a mistake."

 

[alphasigko]

Exactly. My theory is the longer they play non-competitive LIV golf, the more they can't close in Majors. We saw that over the weekend with Rahm and Bryson. Just little, critical mistakes on the back 9. Meanwhile, Scottie and Rory in the Masters were resilient and knew how to close. Top tier players like Koepka and Dustin Johnson have become non-competitive in Majors. These guys sold their legacy for a quick buck ..

Do not many here in The Yard encourage college players to leave their teams to join the NBA and "take the money" as soon as they can if they are good enough? Hence, this degrading of the players who chose to "take the money" from LIV sounds hypocritical to me.

That being said, I completely agree that playing the LIV format degrades these players' ability to withstand the intense pressures encountered while playing in championship golf tournaments.

 

[Waquoit]

Do not many here in The Yard encourage college players to leave their teams to join the NBA and "take the money" as soon as they can if they are good enough? Hence, this degrading of the players who chose to "take the money" from LIV sounds hypocritical to me.

That's a stretch to me. I think it matters some where the money is coming from and what your doing for it.

 

[LIuconn]

That’s my opinion. They took the $ knowing liv events don’t get world ranking points due to 3 round events, team format (can’t truly know if someone is protecting a certain score to help the team win) and closed league format.
Can’t have it both ways. They made their choice, took the $ to help sportswash Saudi Arabia

And I think it gives the majors more juice having other guys come over and play. It’s akin to when the European tour was strong and plenty of guys came over here for the 3 majors.
All the events feel vanilla since the pga tour made the DP world tour into a feeder league

 

[Vuce]

The PGA Tour sponsors golf in China where there is legit slavery - it's a lot of noise when I hear the complaining about LIV. I dont follow LIV at all but the pearl clutching is amusing

 

[NEforceUConn]

......... These guys sold their legacy for a quick buck ..

Yah, but it was a large bag of bucks.

 

[Doctor Hoop]

I've never been a Rahm fan, even when he was on the main tour. But he does have talent. I think after he made the par with his long putt from off the back of the green on 15, running it 10 feet past then missing the comebacker, he lost interest. It was a really tough putt, uphill through fringe, then downhill to the hole. Has to be hit perfectly to avoid a long birdie putt. He missed the birdie, then it's bogey-double-double to finish. He knew that it was over after that 15th hole par.

However, up until that moment he was within one of the lead. I can't say that LIV golf caused him to be uncompetitive. Same with Bryson. Same with Niemann, who played very well. But, Scottie is Scottie. Scheffler had the same put from the back of the green on 15 and hit it to 10 inches.

 

[mauconnfan]

I don’t have any ill will to the kids who were offered a bag and weren’t probably ever going to be a Top 25-50 PGA guy but those already in there and competing for history, screw them. If you’re already really good you’re making good money, maybe not what this crap league offered but the history of the game left you in the dust the minute you said yes to the devil himself. Oh well, every one of them have faded. How’s Cam Smith playing these days, actually who is Cam Smith?

Too bad

 

[BrysonDeMan]

The PGA Tour sponsors golf in China where there is legit slavery - it's a lot of noise when I hear the complaining about LIV. I dont follow LIV at all but the pearl clutching is amusing

LPGA plays in SA .... no outrage
Jack Nicklaus designs courses in SA ... definitely no outrage
singling in on LIV is a joke (as is Brandel Chamblee)

 

[jibsey]

Rahm was great but the wind held up his ball on the par3 so into the water then later in the water again. This stuff happens to the best of them. It doesn’t say anything about his ability to compete or his skills. Plenty of players got bit.

 

[storrsroars]

I don’t have any ill will to the kids who were offered a bag and weren’t probably ever going to be a Top 25-50 PGA guy but those already in there and competing for history, screw them. If you’re already really good you’re making good money, maybe not what this crap league offered but the history of the game left you in the dust the minute you said yes to the devil himself. Oh well, every one of them have faded. How’s Cam Smith playing these days, actually who is Cam Smith?

Too bad

Abraham Ancer did well for me in player pools from 2019-22. Little guy who made 14 cuts in 19 tries at majors. Led tour in fairway accuracy. Made $17 million on the Tour. Left for LIV in 2022, has made $20 mill, but nobody remembers who he is and he's likely never to play in another Major.

 

[mauconnfan]

Abraham Ancer did well for me in player pools from 2019-22. Little guy who made 14 cuts in 19 tries at majors. Led tour in fairway accuracy. Made $17 million on the Tour. Left for LIV in 2022, has made $20 mill, but nobody remembers who he is and he's likely never to play in another Major.

Good call there, he was not just making cuts before he left the tour for LIV he was on the first page quite often. You’re right, where is he now not even a mention of him at the majors. Another one that tells you all you need to know about LIVs impact on their games.