Missing family moment hurt Rahm more than Covid woe
Talk about taking it on the chin. Jon Rahm may be a fiery customer at times, but not on this occasion as he reflected on the bitter disappointment of being told his race was run in the recent Memorial Tournament when holding a six-shot lead with a round to go after testing positive for Covid-19.
Speaking ahead of his return to action in this week’s US Open at Torrey Pines following a 10-day spell in isolation, the Spaniard had no real complaints about the way things had panned out for him in Jack Nicklaus’s event at Muirfield Village in Columbus, Ohio.
“To all the people criticising the PGA Tour, they shouldn't,” said Rahm of the action taken against him, having been told of the positive test as he came off the 18th green on the Saturday after producing one of the best rounds of his career to spreadeagle a stellar field.
“We are in a pandemic, and even though this virus has very different forms of attacking people, you never know what reaction you're going to get. The CDC rules for a reason.
“There's players that missed the (baseball) World Series last year. There's other athletes that have missed events. Unfortunately, I had a really good showing, and I was pulled out of the tournament right before the final round, but the PGA Tour did what they had to do.
“I've heard a lot of different theories, including that I should have played alone that's nonsense. The rules are there, and it's clear. I'm not going to lie, I was fully aware when I was in tracing protocol that that was a possibility. I knew that could happen. I was hoping it wouldn't.
“I was playing like it's not going to, but I support what the PGA Tour did. It could have been handled a little bit better possibly, but they did what they had to do.”
Eyebrows were raised when it seemed that Rahm didn’t get himselfvaccinatedafterbeing informed before the event got underway a fortnight ago that he’d come into contact with someone who had already tested positive.
“Well, the truth is I was vaccinated,” he revealed. “I just wasn't out of that 14-day period when I started Covid tracing protocol. Looking back on it, I guess I wish I would have done it earlier, but, having the PGA and defending Memorial, to be honest, it wasn't in my mind.
“I was trying to just get ready for a golf tournament. If I had done it in a few days earlier, probably we wouldn't be having these conversations right now. It is what it is. We move on.”
While he may have missed out on a sixth PGA Tour triumph as victory went instead to Patrick Cantlay, that wasn’t even close to feeling sore as he missed out on a poignant family moment during his spell in isolation.
“I wasn't there when my parents met my son, and I hadn't seen my parents in almost a year and a half,” revealed Rahm. “Whatever happens on the golf course was absolutely secondary in my mind.
“All that was going through my mind was because my parents landed Monday, Tuesday they met my son, and I wasn't there. That was truly, truly a hard thing.”
New Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou is set for a swift introduction to Old Firm hostilities after being handed his first derby clash just four games into the new cinch Premiership campaign.
Celtic finally appointed Neil Lennon's successor last week and the Greek-born Australian willnothavelongtogethisteam ready to face reigning championsrangers,withatriptoibrox scheduledforsaturday,august 28. Postecoglou is already facingaraceagainsttimewithceltic'sopeningchampionsleague qualifier just five weeks away and a major rebuild required after last year's crumbled 10-ina-row attempt.
And the former Yokohama F. Marinos manager will have to sharpen his focus even furthernowthatthenewtop-flight fixtures for the 2021-22 season have thrown up a tricky opening-day trip to Tynecastle to take on Hearts, which will be shown on Sky Sports, plus that early showdown with Steven Gerrard'srampantinvincibles.
Rangersliftedtheirfirsttitlein adecadelasttermandwillhoist that historic flag high before kicking off their bid for league crown number 56 when they host Livingston in a televised clash at 1.30pm on Saturday, July 31.
Postecoglou'ssidewillprovide the opposition for Robbie Neilson's Championship winners later that day as Hearts hold theirownflag-daycelebrations at 8pm.
Play-off winners Dundee will make their own return to the top division after a two-year absence when they welcome St Mirren to Dens Park for a 3pm kick-off. At the same time St
Johnstone will look to build on lastyear'sincrediblecupdouble when the travel to Ross County, whowillalsohaveanewbossin charge following Malky Mackay's appointment.
The opening weekend is split over two days, with Aberdeen hosting New Firm rivals Dundee United at 3pm on Sunday, August 1, before Motherwell'sfirparktelevisedencounter with Hibernian kicking off at 4.30pm.
The second round of fixtures on Saturday, August 7 - which are still subject to TV coverage selection-seesrangersheadto Tannadice to face United, who will be looking to make a positive start under Tam Courts, while Celtic host Dundee.
Hibs will welcome Ross County to Edinburgh while Hearts head to Paisley looking to avenge the defeat to St Mirren which effectively relegated them two years ago. Livi host Aberdeen while St Johnstone take on Motherwell.
After last year's behindclosed-doors campaign, club bosses will be desperate to welcome fans back inside and the sight of 10,000 supporters cheering on Scotland for Monday's Euro 2020 clash with the Czechrepublicwillraisehopes they can finally re-open the turnstiles.
And there will be plenty of big clashes in store over the year ahead. The return of Hearts and Dundee to the Premiership means Scotland's traditional 'big seven' - which also includes Aberdeen, Celtic, Dundee United, Hibernian and Rangers - are back together in the same league for the first time since 2005. Hearts stage the opening Edinburgh derby oftheseason,whichispencilled inforseptember11whileunited and Dundee will renew hostilities after a year apart at Tannadice the following week.