Jon Rahm to Sergio Garcia: “You don’t think this is the whole mouth?”

Sergio Garcia shared with reporters that he had discussed the tough playing conditions with Jon Rahm on a challenging day at LIV Golf Andalucia. Garcia remarked that although he has experienced tougher conditions at Valderrama, the storied course certainly displayed its difficulty during the first round. Despite the challenging conditions, Garcia managed to score a two-under 69, placing him three strokes behind the early leader, Dean Burmester.

Garcia, unsurprisingly, played alongside fellow Spaniard and home favorite Jon Rahm. Rahm had a difficult day on the breakaway tour, scoring a 73 and tying for 16th place. The 2023 Masters champion has yet to secure a victory on the rival league, and his form has been questioned ahead of the final men’s major of the year.

“I was talking to Jon a lot,” Garcia told reporters after the opening round. “And I said to him early on, maybe on the second or third hole, ‘You can definitely see the teeth at Valderrama today. Not probably the whole mouth, but you can definitely see the teeth.’ He replied, ‘You don’t think this is the whole mouth?’ and I responded, ‘No, I’ve played tougher than this.’ It was certainly challenging, but I’ve faced worse conditions here.”

Dean Burmester, who is having a remarkable season, currently leads the field. The South African secured two victories on the DP World Tour, earning a spot at next week’s Open, and claimed his first LIV victory earlier in the season in Miami. Burmester reflected on his performance, saying, “It was probably one of the best putting rounds I’ve ever had as a professional. Every time I stood over a putt, I felt like I could make it. Days like that are rare.”

He continued, “I managed to hit a lot of good shots as well. It was a special day, and playing with Branden [Grace] and Charl [Schwartzel] made it even more enjoyable.”