Rahm’s reason to be cheerful
JON RAHM finished tied third but returned to No.1.
And top Brit Bob Macintyre equalled Colin Montgomerie’s Open record for top-10 finishes in the rare good news for Europe’s Ryder Cup hopefuls yesterday.
Collin Morikawa helped America win a fifth Major in 11 months and in that time US Open champion Rahm has been the only European to win a Major title.
The Spaniard showed he will be Padraig Harrington’s top player at Whistling Straits in September by recording his fourth top-eight finish in the Majors this year to return to world No.1 – as other big-name Europeans flopped.
The pre-tournament favourite was too slow to start on the opening day with his 7 and made two early bogeys yesterday around his first-ever eagle at The Open on the seventh.
He finally caught fire with four consecutive birdies on the back nine but his 66 saw him finish four shots adrift.
Rahm said: “I’m still going to smile because I gave it my all. I think the main part of my game that could have been a little bit better is putting. I finished really strong.”
Left-hander Macintyre finished tied sixth on his Open debut in 2019 and the Oban man ended as the only Brit inside the top 10 yesterday in a tie for eighth.
Monty played 22 Opens and also had two top-10 finishes.
Macintyre shot weekend rounds of 65 and 67 but said: “I want to win one of these. I don’t turn up to not compete, we’re all trying to win. I feel I’ve got the game to win an Open.”
His performance means a September trip to Wisconsin is not impossible, with nine counting events on the European Tour before Harrington’s Ryder Cup team and wildcards are announced.
Shane Lowry, the 2019 champion, made a solid defence to finish tied for 16th place.
“I have made a few Ryder Cup points out there today,” he said.
“Hopefully I’m playing well enough to deserve to be picked.”