Jon Rahm’s tee shot on the 12th hole at Royal Liverpool was off target — and a fan paid the price.
The Spaniard’s drive struck a fan in the head and then bounced into a bunker during the opening round of the Open Championship.
Rahm spoke to the fan, who was fully conscious, though dazed, and offered a signed glove as medics tended to him on the course.
A fans is attended to after he was struck by a wayward tee shot from Spain’s Jon Rahm. David Davies/PA Images/Alamy Images/Sipa USA
Spain’s Jon Rahm, top center, walks over to check on a spectator who was struck by a wayward tee shot during day one of The British Open. APThings did not get better for Rahm, who had to play his ball backward out of the sand trap on his way to a bogey on the par-4 hole.
It was a rough first day for the World No. 3 golfer, who finished the round with a 3-over 74, well off the pace set by Tommy Fleetwood and upstart Christo Lamprecht, who lead the field at 5-under.
Rahm had joked before the tournament about hitting protestors on the course with a ball.
A fan is attended to after he was struck by a wayward tee shot from Spain’s Jon Rahm. David Davies/PA Images/Alamy Images/Sipa USA“I do have a reputation, so I hope they don’t catch me on a bad hole,” he said. “They might have more room to run around and do what they need to do, but what I can assure you is you don’t want to get hit by a golf ball.
“Whether it’s on purpose or even by accident, you don’t want to be caught in the middle of that.”
It’s not the first time Rahm has had to check in on a spectator hit with one of his shots — he famously hit Sage Steele with an errant tee shot at the PGA Championship in May 2022, knocking the ESPN anchor’s teeth out and leaving her bloodied.
Rahm joked about hitting protestors with drives ahead of the Open Championship. Getty Images“As I was hiding behind the tree, no teeth left in my mouth, I look up and I saw you,” Steele said with a smile as she and the golfer “met” for the first time on a Jan. 2023 episode of “SportsCenter.”
“And I’m like, the least he can do — because you didn’t know it hit me — the least you can do is birdie this hole, for me, and you failed me. I think you only parred.”
