Phoenix 24
Late birdies preserve his Open Championship challenge.
Southport | July 2026
Jon Rahm kept himself firmly in contention at the Open Championship after overcoming an erratic second round, a conduct warning and repeated problems from the tee to finish four strokes behind leader Lucas Herbert at Royal Birkdale.
The Spanish golfer reached the halfway point at four under par, sharing eighth position with defending champion Scottie Scheffler and several other contenders. Rahm’s score preserved a realistic opportunity to challenge during the weekend, although his route through Friday’s round was considerably less controlled than his opening performance.
His driving repeatedly sent the ball into rough, bunkers and areas occupied by spectators, forcing him to rely on recovery shots and short-game precision. The instability produced a sequence of birdies and bogeys that prevented him from building sustained momentum during the opening half of the round.
Rahm began positively with a birdie at the second hole after escaping from the rough, but surrendered the advantage at the par-three fourth when his tee shot missed the green and found a bunker. He responded immediately with another birdie at the fifth before dropping a further stroke at the sixth following another inaccurate drive.
The pattern reflected the central tension in his game. Rahm continued creating opportunities through aggressive iron play and confident putting, yet his lack of control from the tee repeatedly placed pressure on the rest of his performance.
A birdie at the eighth allowed him to move forward again, but his progress remained vulnerable as Lucas Herbert accelerated into the lead with one of the finest rounds ever recorded in a men’s major championship.
The Australian produced a 62, matching the lowest score in men’s major history and moving to eight under for the tournament. Herbert reached the turn in 28 after six birdies on the opening nine and briefly threatened to become the first male golfer to shoot 61 in a major. A missed five-foot putt on the final hole denied him the outright record, but he still secured a two-shot lead.
Rahm’s position became more complicated during the closing stretch. After failing to take advantage of the par-five 14th, he pulled his tee shot at the 15th and threw his club forcefully against the ground.
Tournament officials issued him a formal warning for inappropriate conduct. The incident did not result in an immediate stroke penalty, although another breach during the championship could carry a sporting sanction.
Rahm later acknowledged that the reaction had been excessive, but he rejected the idea that it represented his behavior throughout the entire round. The Spaniard has long competed with visible emotional intensity, and the episode demonstrated how rapidly frustration can surface when technical errors interrupt a major championship challenge.
More importantly, the incident did not destroy his round. Rahm followed the mistake and resulting bogey with consecutive birdies at the 16th and 17th, converting a difficult afternoon into a competitive closing sequence.
He also created another opportunity at the final hole but narrowly failed to convert the putt. The missed chance prevented him from reducing the gap further, yet the late recovery ensured that he remained close enough to pressure the leaders during the third round.
Rahm’s response distinguished his performance from a simple exercise in damage limitation. He did not produce his most accurate golf, but he repeatedly found solutions after losing position and refused to allow a single emotional episode to determine the outcome of his day.
Herbert was not the only player to rewrite the record books. American Sam Burns also signed a 62, completing his round with three consecutive birdies and holing directly from a bunker at the 18th. Burns moved to five under overall, three strokes behind the leader.
Jackson Suber, Cameron Young and Ryan Gerard finished at six under, two behind Herbert. Their presence created a tightly compressed group between the leader and Rahm, leaving the Spaniard with several players to overtake before he can directly challenge for first place.
Bryson DeChambeau initially appeared to have moved to seven under, but officials imposed a two-stroke penalty after determining that he had improved the area surrounding his ball in the rough at the fifth hole. His adjusted score left him at five under after a heated discussion with tournament officials.
Scheffler remained alongside Rahm at four under after recording a second consecutive 68. The defending champion has yet to produce a dominant round, but his consistency and major championship experience make him one of the most significant threats entering the weekend.
Rory McIlroy improved with a 67 to reach one under and secure his place in the final two rounds. He remains seven strokes behind Herbert and will require a substantial Saturday move to restore his title challenge.
For Rahm, the immediate objective is clear. Greater control from the tee would reduce the number of recovery shots required and allow him to attack Royal Birkdale’s greens from more favorable positions.
His short game and competitive resilience have kept him close despite the errors. If he combines those strengths with improved driving accuracy, the four-shot deficit remains recoverable on a links course where wind, firm surfaces and strategic bunkers can quickly reshape the leaderboard.
The Spaniard has already demonstrated that he can respond after difficult moments. His closing birdies transformed a potentially damaging round into a platform for the weekend and confirmed that his championship remains alive.
Herbert owns the lead and the historic score, but Rahm enters the decisive rounds close enough to make both uncomfortable.
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