FRUSTRATED RAHM LEFT MILES OFF PACE
Champion struggles to make an impression as Woods falls well back
NOT an awful lot of movement here on moving day. From Jon Rahm, a man in need of speed, the only progress to observe was that he did not go backwards. What a peculiar return to Augusta this has been for Spain’s former world No 1, whose defence of the title continues to be desperately underwhelming.
His third-round 72, which kept him at five-over-par, might be viewed through the lens of a hardbaked course that gave up precious few scoring opportunities to the early starters, but there the reasons for mitigation run a little dry.
He chuntered, he grunted and he even took to mocking himself during this loop. All of the latter could be found in generous sprinkles on the par-five second hole, when for the first time in three days he found the fairway from the tee and raised his arms in celebration.
This being a fairly miserable week for Rahm, he then launched his second shot into the greenside bunker and continued his streak of pars at a hole that has been the second easiest on the course.
It has been that kind of trip for the Spaniard. He arrived here with a point to prove after his defection to LIV, which naturally has also raised the usual questions over whether those resort courses are sufficient preparation for Augusta.
The form of Bryson DeChambeau so far might cut that debate off at the knees, and yet Rahm is a different kind of beast.
It has long seemed the case that this fiery character feeds off intensity. That he needs it. Week to week, he doesn’t receive so much of that heat on LIV, so you might reasonably query if he came to the Masters a little undercooked, but there is also a thought to be had about whether he is sensitive to changing perceptions of him.
Walking a few holes in proximity to him yesterday, there was no obviously adverse reaction from the galleries to Rahm, because this country club isn’t that sort of place. But as a proud advocate of tradition for so long, only to then cash in on a £400million offer to join a start-up, it has been speculated within the game that he is the type to worry about being seen as a sell-out.
Such is Rahm’s quality, you suspect he will adapt and return to his best at the majors before long, but it won’t be this one. Indeed, that was demonstrated here, when there was no time to waste if he was to reset his chances.
In one regard, the weather helped — it was far gentler than the 40mph gusts we saw on Friday, when Rahm pondered if maybe play should have been suspended, especially with sand flying from bunkers and coating the putting surfaces. But while the skies were calmer, the greens had been sucked dry by those winds and then baked by the sun on a far hotter Saturday.
The scoring was therefore limited, but equally true is that Rahm did not take his chances, which included six-foot misses on both the fourth and 13th greens. His driving was mostly sharp, his approaches were a little loose, and as such he faced a considerable number of opportunities in that 15-foot range. The only one that disappeared below ground came at the 17th, his single birdie of the day, which balanced out his blip at seven, when he flew his second into the trap.
To reiterate, Rahm will be back.
He is too good to stay still for long and it might be noted that several of those who went to LIV have felt a little awkward on their first return to the major stage. But when a player of that calibre returns cards of 73-76-72 it is necessary to raise an eyebrow.
He was less than satisfied. ‘Friday was terrible but today I gave myself plenty of chances,’ he said. ‘I just didn’t make them. Luckily made the one on 17 to have the only birdie of the day. I think if you came out today and somehow shot 67 or lower, maybe you give yourself a little bit of hope. But it’s a hard course out there. Anything under par is a good round. Anything in the 60s is fantastic.’
Elsewhere, Rory
McIlroy’s miserable
Friday was marginally corrected on his third lap, with the four-time major winner shooting a 71. He will commence his final round on three-over par, which is heaven and earth away from where he wanted to be on this annual examination of his career-slam credentials.
Earlier in the week, his wedges were problematic, but yesterday the putter seemed a little cold. However, he stemmed some of the bleeding with a front-nine 36.
‘It felt better today,’ he said. ‘It was nice to make some birdies. A couple of years ago I went out (on Sunday) and shot a good score and if conditions stay the same and you pick up four, five or six shots you’ll move up the leaderboard. It’s still pretty tough out there. So I’ll try and do more of the same, make a few putts and see if I can finish on a positive note.’
This week just hasn’t been his story. On Friday it belonged to Tiger Woods, who broke a record by making the cut for a 24th straight time in dreadful weather. His exhibition of will was extraordinary in reaching the weekend.
That said, yesterday was shaping into something forgettable — he was six-over-par for his round after 13 holes, seven over for the tournament, with most of the damage acquired in back-to-back double bogeys on seven and eight.