At just 24 years of age, Arizona State alum Jon Rahm has racked up eight professional tournament championships, including three PGA Tour victories.
A win in a major tournament has eluded Rahm to this point -- but on Thursday, he got off to a good start in an effort to change that.
Rahm shot a 3-under 68 in the first round of the Open Championship in Northern Ireland on Thursday. Rahm was the leader for a good portion of the day and shot 5-under on the first nine holes for the lowest back nine ever at the Open.
Solo leader. 💯
— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) July 18, 2019
Jon Rahm makes the turn with a birdie to take the outright lead at #theOpen.https://t.co/uUXgdlgP3b pic.twitter.com/6If5bwhnGs
Rahm bogeyed the 15th and 18th holes to fall two strokes back of leader J.B. Holmes after Round 1.
The second round of the Open Championship tees off Friday morning. Rahm will tee off at 5:20 a.m. Arizona time.
It was a less-than-stellar start to the tournament for fellow ASU alum Phil Mickelson, who won the Open Championship in 2013. Mickelson, who consumed nothing but water and coffee for six straight days in an effort to return to form, shot a 5-over 76 on Thursday. Mickelson did, however, have a better round than Tiger Woods, who shot a 7-over 78.
