Defending U.S. Open champ Jon Rahm sinks birdie despite unusual hazard
It was a bizarre ending to Jon Rahm’s round at the U.S. Open Thursday after two children apparently picked up his golf ball on the 18th hole and ran away with it.
The defending champion blasted his tee shot into the rough on the far left side of the final hole at the Country Club. According to Rahm, two teenagers appeared to then pick up the ball and run away with it.
“I am 100 percent sure I saw the two kids that stole it,” Rahm said after the round. “I recognized the two kids that were running the opposite way with a smile on their face.”
Video has not yet emerged of the incident, despite the tee shot ending up near one of NBC’s broadcast locations.
Rahm was able to get a free drop, and he put his approach shot about 20 feet from the pin. He sank the putt to card a birdie and finish 1-under par on the round.
“I’m just really happy somebody spotted the ball first,” Rahm said of his tee shot, before it was apparently stolen.
