Sergio Garcia opens Jon Rahm’s eyes during latest LIV Golf event

Sergio Garcia offered some sage advice to Jon Rahm as they took on the challenging Real Club Valderrama during the LIV Golf tour.

The Spanish duo, who were both participating in the event at the iconic Andalusian venue, had differing fortunes in the opening round. Garcia managed a two-under 69, putting him close behind leader Dean Burmester, while Rahm scored a 73.

Rahm, who made headlines with his $500 million move to the Saudi Arabian circuit earlier this year, is yet to secure a win on the tour. Garcia, who has previously expressed his fondness for the course and even named it his “favourite” place to tee off worldwide, shared some words of wisdom with his compatriot.

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He recalled their conversation, saying: “I was talking to Jon a lot. And I said to him early on, I think it was like on the second or third hole. I said, ‘you can definitely see the teeth at Valderrama today’.

“I said ‘not probably the whole mouth but you can definitely see the teeth,” he said, as he recalled Rahm’s response, continuing: “He was like, ‘You don’t think this is the whole mouth?'”

In a revealing comment, he further stated: “I was like, ‘No, I’ve played tougher than this’. It was up there [in terms of difficulty]. It was solid. But I probably would say that the other wind, as hard as this, is probably a tougher wind to play the golf course.”

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Delving deeper into his own performance as Rahm’s struggles on the LIV tour persisted on home turf, Garcia expressed: “It was probably one of the best putting rounds I’ve ever had as a professional. Just every time I stood over a putt, I just felt like could I make it.”

“You don’t get days like that too often but certainly I don’t. I managed to hit a lot of good shots as well. It was a special day and to be playing with Branden [Grace] and Charl [Schwartzel] and to enjoy that with them was super cool.”

On the other hand, Rahm has faced some backlash throughout the year due to his 2024 form. Among his critics is Eamon Lynch, who remarked: “The game just hasn’t been there. Perhaps it’s a coincidence that it’s happened after he went to LIV Golf.”

“You know, every one has slump years and maybe this is just his. But to me, a guy who finished tied second in The Open last year [and] going back there this year having performed pretty miserably by his standards in major championships, to me, is the storyline.”