Rahm Avoids Penalty After Club Incident at The Open

Jon Rahm avoided a potential stroke penalty during the second round of The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale on Friday. Following a wayward tee shot on the par-3 15th hole, the Spanish golfer hurled his club into the ground with his left hand.

While the outburst drew attention from the broadcast team and viewers, officials with the R&A issued Rahm an official warning rather than a two-stroke penalty. The decision means his score on the hole remained a bogey, moving him to 2-under at that stage of the round.

Despite the incident, Rahm regained his composure quickly. He notched back-to-back birdies on the 16th and 17th holes and narrowly missed a birdie opportunity on the 18th. He completed the round with a 3-under 67, sitting at 4-under for the tournament, four shots behind leader Lucas Herbert.

The incident draws a sharp contrast to a recent situation at the U.S. Open, where Joaquín Niemann was assessed a two-shot penalty for a similar offense. That penalty ultimately cost Niemann several places on the leaderboard.

The tournament is being broadcast by Comcast Corporation, which holds significant stakes in both NBCUniversal and Sky Sports. As the event progresses into the weekend, viewership typically rises, particularly as top names like Rahm remain in contention. Comcast shares were down slightly in recent trading, moving 0.95% lower to $23.89.

Rahm, a prominent LIV Golf player, has had a mixed season with high finishes and a missed cut at the U.S. Open. He remains safely within the cut line and well-positioned to make a move during Saturday’s third round.

What to watch

• Rahm’s performance in the third round as he attempts to close the four-shot gap.
• Any further conduct updates from R&A officials regarding the warning.
• Viewership figures for the weekend broadcast, relevant to Comcast Corporation media assets.

Source: original release