Jon Rahm 'happy' with title-defense opener in Mexico
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Jon Rahm wishes he could have taken advantage of some prime scoring conditions early at the Mexico Open at Vidanta. But he’s still happy with his title-defense opener.
Rahm, already a four-time winner on the PGA TOUR this season, shot a 4-under 67 in his first round at Vidanta Vallarta.
He was in the mix as the morning wave was ending, just four shots back of Austin Smotherman’s 8-under 63 opener.
Smotherman tied the course record – set a year ago by Tony Finau and Brandon Wu in the final round – after finishing with four straight birdies.
Austin Smotherman holes out for birdie at Mexico Open
Starting on the back nine, Rahm bogeyed the par-3 11th before bouncing back with a birdie on No. 14. He was even-par after nine holes but turned it on after making the turn. The Masters winner birdied Nos. 1 and 2 before adding two more circles on his scorecard on Nos. 7 and 9.
“It's a good score, I'm happy with the score. Those first 13 holes we had virtually no wind, about as easy conditions as it can get. I wish I would have taken advantage of it more,” said Rahm. “I did make some good swings early on, I just couldn't quite get the number and judge some lies off the fairway, but that's just things that happen.”
The birdie on nine, a tricky little par-3 closer, will make Rahm’s lunch taste that much better.
Jon Rahm sinks 25-footer for birdie at Mexico Open
“It's not the smallest target but you don't really have margin of error. It's into the wind, the wind was starting to pick up, so you have to hit a quality shot to put it on the green and then to make the putt,” said Rahm. “I was rolling it really well all day, so to finish it off that way, obviously it always feels like you're stealing one from the field.”
Rahm wielded a hot putter Thursday, sitting second in Strokes Gained: Putting as the morning wave concluded.
The Spaniard, with plenty of Hispanic support Thursday, said the golf course was playing a little different than a year ago when he won, with the greens sitting a “little bit firmer” than they were early on in 2022.
Still, the golf course is in “perfect shape,” Rahm said, and he’s eager to take it on again in the second round and try to climb the leaderboard – and get even closer to a fifth PGA TOUR title this season.