Jon Rahm takes control at LIV Golf UK as first win on circuit awaits at JCB
Jon Rahm opened up a two-shot lead in the first round of LIV Golf UK at JCB Golf & Country Club in Rochester, England.
Rahm, 29, fired a flawless 8-under 63 to move two shots ahead of Abraham Ancer and Andy Ogletree heading into the weekend.
The former World No.1 is going in search of his first LIV Golf victory since joining the circuit for a reported $600m fee this season.
Rahm has been knocking on the door with nine top-10 finishes in all nine tournaments he has completed 54 holes.
Related: Jon Rahm in fresh talks with LIV officials to make a change – ‘I’m pushing for it’
The Spaniard was forced to withdraw from LIV Golf Houston due to a foot injury last month.
Rahm entered this week off the back of a solid T7 at The 152nd Open at Royal Troon.
That marked his best finish in the majors this season.
Rahm told a pool of reporters earlier this week that he was not surprised in the slightest he has yet to register a first individual win on LIV Golf because the standard is so strong on the Saudi breakaway league.
“No, I’m fully aware of the quality of golfers out here,” said Rahm of his failure to win an individual tournament on LIV Golf in 2024.
“It’s never easy to win, so I’d say it’s definitely a challenge.”
Rahm has certainly given himself every chance to land that first LIV Golf title after the first 18 holes at LIV Golf UK.
The Spaniard started with an early birdie on the par-4 2nd hole, which was his first hole in the shotgun start on Friday.
He made five pars in a row and then birdied the par-4 8th.
Two more pars followed at 9 and 10 and then Rahm really put the foot down on his final nine holes.
He birdied the 11th and 12th to move to 4-under par and then made three birdies in a row from the 15th before adding a closing birdie at the par-4 1st.
It all added up a 63 and sees Rahm open up a two-shot lead over Ancer and Ogletree.
Rahm’s Legion XIII teammate Tyrrell Hatton is also in contention in front of his home fans.
Hatton recovered from a double-bogey six on his first hole to open with a 6-under 65 alongside 150th Open champion Cameron Smith.
Brooks Koepka hit the shot of the day when holing out his second shot to the par-4 11th.
Koepka carded a solid 67 to lie T6 alongside a host of players including England’s Paul Casey, who was burned by a reporter after his pre-tournament comments about UK fans being ‘starved for golf’ in 2024.
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