Jon Rahm Nearly Snaps Club in Anger, Draws Ire of SportsCenter Icon

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Kendall Capps | Last updated Apr 11, 2025 9:00 AM ET

The opening round of the 89th Masters Tournament is in the books and there is tons of elite talent near the top of the leaderboard. But there are also several stars that struggled during Thursday's opening round at Augusta National.

One such name is Jon Rahm, who signed for a 3-over 75.

The LIV Golf star had high hopes, having played so well on the Saudi-backed circuit entering the week.

But it appears as though his chances at a second green jacket have already gone by the wayside.

During his opening round, Rahm's frustration nearly boiled over.

After his tee shot on the par-4 9th faded into the pine straw, the Spaniard immediately dropped his driver. He then picked it up and nearly snapped it in half over his knee.

"Be careful, you might need that a little later on."

Jon Rahm almost snapped his club #themasters pic.twitter.com/lurT5FZqxh
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 10, 2025

Ironically, he would go on to save par. But he carded birdies at No. 10 and No. 11, which dropped him to 4-over par. He salvaged the day with a birdie on the par-5 13th, but that was of little consolation.

As the end of his round neared, former ESPN SportsCenter anchor Trey Wingo took to social media, taking a shot at Rahm.

"Jon Rahm was literally at the peak of his career before he took the money and ran to LIV," Wingo wrote.

"That move.. while making rich beyond his wildest dreams..has absolutely cratered his career and chances to compete in majors."

Late in 2023, Rahm made the stunning decision to leave the PGA Tour for LIV. The move was for a reported $400 million.

That offer is nothing to scoff at.

But Wingo's argument holds a bit of water.

During the 2024 major season, Rahm tied for 45th at the Masters before missing the cut at the PGA Championship. He did not play in the U.S. Open due to a foot injury, but did however finish T7 at The Open.

Following Thursday's round, Rahm was rather curt with the media but remained confident he can still win.

"I'm confident. It's a very difficult golf course. It's going to get harder. If I can get off to a good start, post a round in the 60s tomorrow, then the weekend could be a new story."

That was one of two he answers he provided from the media room before departing in less than two minutes.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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