On Friday at Shinnecock Hills, Jon Rahm decided to play a little soccer, perhaps inspired by the World Cup games being played simultaneously in North America.
The problem? Rahm’s football breakthrough came during his second round at the 2026 US Open, and he was using his driver as a ball. It was just one unfortunate moment from an ugly finish that saw the 2021 US Open champion miss the cut.
Jon Rahm hits driver in frustration before missing US Open
When Friday started, Rahm was sitting pretty. He had shot a two-under 68 in the opening round, putting him at the top of the leaderboard and just four shots out Wyndham Clark’s early lead.
But everything was destroyed for two-time major champion and LIV Golf star on the back nine on Friday.
Rahm made four consecutive bogeys at 12, 13, 14 and 15. At the par-5 16th, things only got worse. He hit his drive at 16 into a fairway bunker and eventually recorded a double-par 7.
In just five holes, Rahm had moved from par to six.
Frustration eventually got the better of the professional star.
At some point caught on camera and shared on X by @davidwoodsPGARahm appears on what appears to be the 16th tee after his drive. In the video, Rahm kicks his driver and then proceeds to kick the offending club a few more times as he leaves the tee.
The moment did not happen in a vacuum. The day before, Joaquin Niemann was hit with a two-stroke penalty for “serious misconduct” following a club-throwing incident that occurred late Thursday.
The penalty gave Niemann an 11 for the 6th hole in Round 1. Incredibly, Niemann rallied to shoot a 65 in Round 2 to make the cut.
It is not clear why Rahm’s actions did not rise to the level of misconduct deserving a penalty, as Niemann did.
Until Friday night, Rahm was stuck at six overtwo shots below the cut line, sending him home early in a major upset.
Unfortunately for Spanish sports fans, the Spanish men’s national team isn’t doing much better than Rahm at the World Cup. They suffered a disappointing draw against underdogs Cape Verde in their first game this week.
