Jon Rahm is sitting pretty at 18-under par at Yas Links, but believe it or not, a rogue beer almost derailed his momentum on Saturday before he could even finish strong. The two-time major champion found himself facing down a bizarre distraction that could have shaken anyone’s focus, all while still clinging to the top spot.
The Strangest Distraction on the Green?
Can you even imagine? Rahm was setting up for his tee shot on the par-3 17th hole, locked in, needing to finish out strong, when suddenly a spectator’s beer cast a shadow right where his ball lay. GolfMagic caught the whole thing, a beer shadow directly on his golf ball. Rahm, calm as you like, paused. He asked the visibly shocked fan, “Is that the beer?” The crowd was probably holding their breath, but Rahm, ever the pro, then told everyone that “as long as you’re still, it’s all good.” Laughter broke the tension, and he kept his cool, finishing his round with successive pars to keep that top spot. What a wild moment, right? Amidst a round that demands intense focus, this rare, humorous interruption showed just how well Rahm handles the pressure, even with a smile. It’s not like he was struggling; he was on fire, birdying holes 10, 12, and 15, and even sinking an eagle on the par-5 11th. He had two birdies and a bogey on the front nine, but he truly caught fire later in the round.
Chasing That Win After Four Long Years
This Abu Dhabi tournament isn’t just another walk in the park for Rahm. He’s trying to end a four-year drought on the European circuit, with his last DP World Tour Championship win coming back in 2022. He admitted after his round, “Wishing I would have hit a couple better putts in the last two holes, right, just misread those two putts. But overall, obviously very good golf.” You can feel the hunger for that win. The competition is absolutely breathing down his neck, too. Tyrrell Hatton and Francesco Laporta are tied for second, just one shot back at 17-under. And don’t count out Rory McIlroy, who shot a 67 and sits only two shots off the lead. There’s a massive $9 million total prize fund on the line, with the winner pocketing a cool $1.5 million. For Rahm, a win here, especially after his time on the LIV Golf Tour, would mean a whole lot.
The stage is set for Sunday. Hatton and Laporta will join Rahm in the final group, teeing off at 11:25 am local time. Hatton expects low scoring, saying everyone will need to play well to catch the leader. You know it’s going to be a battle to the very end.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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