Jon Rahm proved that even the very best in the world sometimes make an absolute howler after the World No.1 missed a 10-inch putt during the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill.
The world No. 1 went to tidy up the short putt for par on the par-3 seventh hole, decelerated his putter just before contact and watched his ball barely make it halfway to the hole. The Spaniard quickly tapped in in the follow-up putt for bogey, then was left to rue what the PGA Tour called the shortest missed putt of the season by any player.
There are no gimmes on the PGA TOUR. pic.twitter.com/ch6sFLSsKH
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 3, 2022
“I wish I could give you all the excuses in the world, but no, it’s as simple as it just didn’t feel good in my hands, and I tried to stop, and I didn’t. I just simply didn’t stop,” said Rahm. “I don’t know. It was very odd.
“I’ve seen many things. I’ve seen the putter get a little stuck on a blade of grass on the way back and do something funky, hit the ground before because you’re not paying attention. I’ve seen so many things from a foot. I’ve seen some of the best putters in the world miss it because you don’t really take a proper stance.”
Rahm ended up with an even-par 72 that left him tied for 51st at the conclusion of the first round. Rory McIlroy leads the way after firing a first-round 65 to open up a two-shot lead over Beau Hossler, J.J. Spaun and former FedEx Cup champion Billy Horschel.
