Rahm Goes On Bahamas Birdie Blitz Blasting Out 63 To Share Hero Lead.

Albany, Bahamas …..

Big-hitting Spaniard Jon Rahm produced a lowest round since victory earlier this year and end with a share of the lead with a sizzling 63 on day two of the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas

Rahm, who turned 24 earlier this month, birdied four of his outward nine holes and five over the home stretch to be tied at 10-under par with Sweden’s and playing partner Henrik Stenson, who signed for a 66.

The victorious European Ryder Cup duo are one shot clear of the American pair of Dustin Johnson (67) and overnight first round leader Patrick Cantlay (70).

Tournament host, Tiger Woods had been sharing ninth place in the elite 18-player field with five birdies through 17 bogey-free holes when the 14-time Major winner came unstuck down the last.

Big-hitting Spaniard Jon Rahm shoots a 63 to move to a share of the lead on day two of the Hero World Challenge

Woods tee shot came to rest under a bush ahead of using an 8-iron in a ‘brush-like’ second stroke but then walking off with a double-bogey ‘6’ and end the round sharing 14th place on two-under par.

Woods was met after his round by Tour official, Mark Watson with suggestions he may have hit the ball twice in clearing the bush and with Watson looking at countless ‘slow mo’ re-runs of the TV footage before determining Woods had indeed hit the ball twice.

But under ‘Definition’ 34-3/10 of the Rules of Golf, and as a ‘double hit’ could not be determined by the naked eye, Woods was excused from any breach of the rules.

No such concern for Rahm who is making his debut in the $US3m event and with his round just one short of a first round 62 on route to a second PGA Tour success in January’s Career Builder Challenge at La Quinta, California

“I missed one fairway, I believe and that’s only because they put a patch of rough in the middle of the fairway on 4, so that was kind of how everything went today,” he said.

Rahm’s win in California was not his only taste of success in 2018 as he won his own national Open in capturing the Spanish Open and after finishing fourth last fortnight in the defence of his DP World Tour Championship title, he’s looking to end the year on a winning note.

“This year was a big year of personal growth more than my golf game,” he said.

“I was actually quite surprised on how well I played compared to what I had going on in my personal life and a lot of things going on. A lot of like I said, personal growth. I was able to play just as good golf as I did last year.

“I won twice, the Career Builder and the Spanish Open, which is a huge win for me, get in contention in a couple of majors, and then hopefully finish strong today and this week.”

Stenson, who has battled a bout of tendonitis in his left elbow, was runner-up in the event two years ago and like Rahm, is keen to continue an impressive list of ‘international’ champions of the event with six of the past 19 winners being non-American.

“I’m trying hard to be first making it to the finish line,” he said.

“I haven’t played a lot of golf since the Ryder Cup as I’ve had an injury problem, so I was out for five weeks and I haven’t played that much.

“I guess I should be a little bit fresher than some of my colleagues who played out in Hong Kong or somewhere else at this point of the year.

“So, we’ll just keep on going, try to make as many birdies as we can.”

 



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