Jon Rahm struggles on first day of PGA Championship as he throws cub

**Furious Jon Rahm Launches Club in Anger During PGA Championship Opening Round**

In a turbulent first round at the PGA Championship, 29-year-old Spaniard Jon Rahm displayed visible frustration. The former World No. 1 spiked his 7-iron into the fairway after another errant shot on a day that never quite came together for him.

Despite his rocky start, Rahm ended Thursday with a smile, wrapping up the opening round with a 1-under 70. This glimmer of hope contrasted sharply with the dropped drivers, spiked irons, and numerous early bogeys that had defined his day.

Rahm acknowledged the challenging start but remained optimistic. “How many times have you seen someone start down by one, two, or three and then do what he needs to do?” he reflected. “Every time someone wins a tournament, there is always a day when he is down. But the other rounds are good.”

The two-time major champion’s first six holes were marked by four bogeys and a putting performance that ranked 121st in a field of 156. However, he managed to salvage par on the 16th hole after a poor approach shot that led to his 7-iron windmilling into the turf.

Finishing the round with a score of 1-under 70, Rahm found hope amidst his struggles. His final six holes were particularly strong, as he made birdies on 17 and 18, completing the back nine in 4-under 32 after a front nine of 3-over 38.

Rahm emphasized the need for reflection and improvement ahead of Friday’s round, which has a forecast of rain. “I need to think about what happened,” he admitted. “I’ve had mental errors.” Despite his late rally, Rahm ended Day 1 closer to the cut line than to the leader, Xander Schauffele, who had set a record earlier with a 9-under 62.

Highlighting his struggles, Rahm pointed out his tee shots on holes 5 and 12 as particularly poor. A wayward drive on 5 landed deep in the native rough, leading to his third bogey. On 12, another poor tee shot resulted in him letting his driver fall over his shoulder before the ball even landed. Nonetheless, he managed to scramble for par, which initiated a strong finish to his round.

Looking ahead, Rahm remained hopeful. “Let’s see if tomorrow I do a different thing from the beginning,” he said. “I want to start well.”

As Rahm gears up for the next round, he aims to build on the positives from his finish, hoping to improve and climb the leaderboard in the days ahead.