Jon Rahm on his Open Championship begin: “It’s not simple on the market”

Royal Troon shortly changed into Royal Trouble on Thursday at The Open Championship.

Twenty-five mile-per-hour winds out of the south and a gradual drizzle wreaked havoc for the complete area as dozens of gamers struggled. Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau, recent off their U.S. Open duel, appeared misplaced on Thursday, carding rounds of 7-over 78 and 5-over 76, respectively.

So after posting a 2-over 73, two-time main champion Jon Rahm summed up his spherical—and the situations—completely:

“It’s not a simple golf course on the market,” Rahm mentioned.

“It’s very tough on the market. Eight out of these first 9 holes, all of them are in off the correct, enjoying lengthy, tough holes. Just once you suppose it would get somewhat simpler downwind, it actually isn’t. The again 9 has a variety of tooth, and people par-3s are very, very tough.”

The first six holes at Troon are the place gamers must assault. But the southernly wind meant that Troon’s most benign stretch performed into the breeze—a stark distinction from the prevailing wind that blows out of the north.

“When it’s into the wind, you’re actually cautious, and it’s important to be understanding of how tough it’s,” Rahm added.

Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images

“Eight is clearly the simplest gap on that entrance 9, simply simple wedge shot, no damage. And simply once you suppose issues are going to get somewhat bit simpler, that again 9 is brutal. Those downwind holes, 14 and 17 may be very tough in the present day to shut, and it’s simply tough basically.”

Rahm made his solely birdie of the day on the par-3 eighth, the outlet often known as “The Postage Stamp,” which can be one of the crucial well-known holes on the planet. The Spaniard caught a wedge to 11 ft after which drained the putt to get again to even-par.

But he dropped two photographs on the again 9, on the thirteenth and sixteenth holes, as Rahm couldn’t salvage these bogeys with any birdies on Troon’s brutal closing stretch.

“I like to recommend whoever’s watching to look at 14 and 17 since you’re going to see some loopy holes and loopy bounces,” Rahm added of the 2 par-3s on the again 9.

“Well, 14 is 210 yards, again left pin, severely downwind off the left. Short of that pin, it’s all downhill. We all agree, we had consensus within the group, that the one approach to hit it shut is hitting the pin. Obviously you possibly can hit it shut, however it’s very tough.

“Then 17, it’s 240 yards, the identical, downwind off the left, and the inexperienced slopes off all over the place. So it’s very tough to place that ball on the inexperienced. If you’re off the inexperienced, it’s not a simple up-and-down in any manner. And simply how bouncy it’s. Both me and Tommy [Fleetwood] landed it entrance fringe of the inexperienced and each ended up on the again edge. It’s not one thing we’re used to seeing basically. It’s extra that it doesn’t look as agency as actually is enjoying. That’s why I’m not shocked there’s not many low scores on the market. It’s a battle.”

Not solely does the wind make it harder to flight balls within the air, however it additionally companies up the course significantly. Firmer situations make it far more difficult to manage the ball on the bottom, an important aspect of hyperlinks golf.

Indeed, it’s a battle, however that’s the great thing about The Open.

Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be certain to take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You can observe him on Twitter @jack_milko as effectively.