Injured foot forces Rahm withdrawal

PINEHURST, North Carolina (AFP) — Two-time major champion Jon Rahm withdrew from the 124th US Open golf tournament on Tuesday due to a left foot infection after consulting with doctors.

The Spanish world No. 8 Rahm pulled out of last week’s LIV Golf Houston event on Saturday due to the injury, which he suffered on Friday.

“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 US Open,” Rahm posted on X, formerly Twitter.

“To say I’m disappointed is a massive understatement!”

Rahm had been scheduled to start his opening round on Thursday at 1:36 p.m. off the first tee at Pinehurst alongside Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama and American Jordan Spieth.

Instead, American alternate Jackson Suber will compete in his first US Open, taking Rahm’s spot, the US Golf Association announced.

Just hours before pulling out, Rahm, 29, spoke to reporters wearing a flip-flop on his left foot and said, “It’s a concern. It’s doing better. But definitely still in pain,” and that he was uncertain of playing this week.

Rahm said the pain became more than he could handle last Saturday in Houston.

“Could I have dragged myself out there and posted some kind of a score? Yeah,” Rahm said.

“But it was getting to a point where I wasn’t making the swings I wanted to make and I could have hurt other parts of my swing just because of the pain.”