Team Europe’s Jon Rahm was caught on camera engaging in a spot of gamesmanship on Friday morning at the Ryder Cup. The tournament veteran left eagle-eyed onlookers laughing with a subtle reaction to the U.S. Team’s Sam Burns teeing off at the 14th hole at Marco Simone.
Rahm, 28, and his alternate-shot partner Tyrrell Hatton were already in a four-stroke lead over their American opponents Burns and Scottie Scheffler with five holes left to play. So, when the Ryder Cup rookie’s ball-striking struggles continued on No. 14, the Spaniard’s immediate response told its own story.
As Burns stands watching the ball in flight, Rahm takes off behind him with his left arm protruding out in front of him as he walks off to the left. While the signal is primarily to point out the direction the ball is coming to the crowd, others are interpreting it as some subtle gamesmanship.
Lending credence to the latter version of events is the Masters champion not even watching the ball in flight after raising his arm and walking away from the tee. Rahm and Hatton went on to win the foursomes match four and three to secure Europe’s first point as part of a first session whitewash.
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Later, after the day’s fourballs matches, Rahm was described as a “child” by opponent Brooks Koepka. The world No. 3 had Nicolai Hojgaard as a partner in the afternoon session and was again up against Scheffler, who partnered with Koepka.
Despite the game ending in a tie and securing the Americans a rare half-point on the opening day’s play, the PGA Championship winner was left frustrated. “I mean, I think me and Scottie birdied, what did we say, 14, we birdied 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and then lost by two,” Koepka said during a brief interview after the game.
“So yeah. I mean, I want to hit a board and pout just like Jon Rahm did. But, you know, it is what it is. Act like a child. But we’re adults. We move on.”
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Asked about his player’s antics afterward, Team Europe captain Luke Donald did not dwell on the negatives. “I didn’t see any of that,” he admitted. “Jon was a big support system for Nikolai today. To hit a drive down 18, hit it on the front of the green, and hit an eagle for half, that’s a lot of passion. Jon’s a passionate person, but I couldn’t imagine him any other way.”
The three-time Ryder Cup player was also pivotal to the team taking a commanding overnight lead in Italy. Rahm chipped in three times across the day and came close to making a hole-in-one during the early game against Burns and Scheffler.
Thanks to that win, Europe starts Saturday with a five-point lead. After only mustering three draws, the U.S. Team made history by failing to win a single match.
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