Rahm, uncomfortable in Liverpool
During the first day of the British Open, Jon Rahm was almost as uncomfortable as it was for the spectators to find a loophole among the thousands of people who packed the Royal Liverpool to see a swing from the Spanish.
His match with Rory McIIlroy (he finished on par with the field) and Justin Rose (+3, the same as the Spaniard) recalled the massive performances of Tiger Woods. A pity that the number three in the world could not get a result according to his feelings. “The result hurts because of how well I hit the ball,” said Rahm, who finished the first day with that +3, suffering firsthand from the hardness of the bunkers. The Spaniard had to play two balls backwards. “I could have taken better advantage of the par five with how well I hit it from the tee. Doing +1 on the par fives is a bit what has killed me,” said Rahm, who is confident of putting in a good round today and getting back into the tournament.
“Make as few hits as possible,” he stated, alluding to his plans for the second day and saying goodbye to the Spanish press. There were two moments where the Spaniard's round could have taken a different course: the missed two-meter putt on hole 11, after a huge birdie on hole 10 (one of the most complicated, where Rahm holed out from 10 meters), and the missed opportunities on holes 15 and 16.
It was Adrián Otaegui who was in charge of eclipsing Rahm himself and gaining a place at the top of the standings. The surprise of the tournament was his 67 shots (-4) carved based on precision, consistency and tranquility. It seems that the fourth classified of the Open was in a local tournament of his club. “I try to do my routine every day, the only thing that changes is that you are not in most tournaments and this week the Spanish journalists are here,” he said.
Otaegui's phlegm impresses, as did his game over 17 holes. There was only one bad hole, the one, where the man from San Sebastian messed up from the tee, although he managed to save it with a meritorious bogey. Otaegui's -4 is also a message to the world of golf. After four consecutive weeks without competing sanctioned by the DP World Tour, with the only crime of having played four LIV Golf tournaments, the Spaniard does not want to get into controversy and prefers that his clubs speak for him. And they did it, finishing the first day just one stroke behind the leaders of this 151st edition of The Open.
The last major of the year is led by the surprising South African amateur Christo Lamprecht, winner of the British Amateur, the Englishman Tommy Fleetwood and the Argentinean Emiliano Grillo, who wanted to honor his compatriot Roberto de Vicenzo, in the year of his centenary, winner here in 1967.
Pablo Larrazábal finished the day with +1 (position 47) and mixed feelings. “The day I play to pass cuts, you will not see me around here anymore”. He signed the same result as the rookie in grand slam tournaments, Nacho Elvira.