Jon Rahm withdraws from U.S. Open due to a lingering foot injury

In a surprising turn of events, Jon Rahm, the 2021 U.S. Open champion, has withdrawn from the 2024 U.S. Open due to a persistent toe injury. Rahm announced his decision on X (formerly Twitter) late Tuesday afternoon, stating, “After consulting with numerous doctors and my team, I have decided it is best for my long-term health to withdraw from this week’s U.S. Open Championship. To say I’m disappointed is a massive understatement! I wish all my peers the best of luck and want to thank all of the USGA staff, volunteers, and the community of Pinehurst for hosting and putting on what I’m sure will be an amazing championship! Hopefully I’ll be back in action sooner than later!”

The decision came after Rahm, who has been dealing with an infected lesion on his left foot, consulted with medical professionals. Despite ongoing treatment, the infection has not healed sufficiently to allow him to compete at his best. “It’s a concern. It’s doing better, but I’m definitely still in pain,” Rahm mentioned during a press conference earlier on Tuesday. He was seen wearing a flip-flop on his infected foot to keep the area dry and aid the healing process.

Rahm’s injury also forced him to withdraw from the LIV Golf event in Houston over the past weekend, raising concerns about his participation in this week’s U.S. Open. He described the incident, saying, “I don’t know how or what happened, but it got infected. The pain was high. On the Saturday round, I did get a shot to numb the area, which was supposed to last the whole round, but by my second hole, I was in pain already.”

The infection has since been brought under control, but Rahm continues to experience swelling and pain