The 2024 major season for Jon Rahm has not looked good and did not get better during his preparation for the U.S. Open, hosted by the United States Golf Association.
On Tuesday, Rahm announced on social media that he will not be competing in this year’s U.S. Open due to a foot infection.
“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,” Rahm said on X. “To say I’m disappointed is a massive understatement! I wish all my peers the best of luck and want to thank the USGA staff, volunteers and 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!”
Rahm, who won the 2021 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines in San Diego, was dealing with a foot infection and had to also withdraw from last week’s LIV Golf event in Houston because of it.
Related: Where Jon Rahm stands on the list of U.S. Open Champions
During the second round last week Friday, he grimaced after taking a shot on the par-3 7th at the Golf Club of Houston, forcing his withdrawal.
On Tuesday, when Rahm talked to reporters before withdrawing, he said the infection was getting better, hoping to compete.
“It’s a concern. It’s doing better, but definitely still in pain,” said Rahm, who came to his press conference wearing a shoe on one foot and a flip flop on the other for his infected foot.
Rahm added that his foot infection comes near his toes and there is still concern, resulting in his eventual withdrawal.
“We’ve been trying to figure it out because I think the closest would be a legion on the skin,” Rahm said. “If I were to show you, it’s a little hole between my pinkie toe and the next toe. I don’t how or what happened, but it got infected, and the pain was high because on the Saturday round, I did get shot to numb the area. It was supposed to last the whole round but by my second hole, I was already in pain. The infection was the worrisome part and the infection and has under the control. There is still swelling and pain. Trying to keep the area dry and trying to heal as quickly as possible.”
This season, which is his first as a member of LIV Golf, has not gone the way 2023 went on the PGA Tour, winning four times, including the Masters. In his first seven starts before withdrawing last week, Rahm has finished no worse than 10th, highlighted by two third-place finishes at Mayakoba to begin the year and at Adelaide in late April. From a team perspective, Rahm led his squad, Legion XIII, to a win at Mayakoba and in Miami, one week before the Masters.
Besides his six straight top eight individual finishes to begin his LIV Golf career, he has not done as well in the first two major championships this year, tying for 45th at the Masters and missed the cut at the PGA Championship last month in two bad weeks for the two-time major champion.
Jon Rahm’s U.S. Open replacement
Taking Rahm spot in the field in Jackson Suber, who is 24 years old and ranked 44th in the Korn Ferry Tour stanings. Suber was the first name among the list of alternates for the U.S. Open as he was prepared to tee off in the Wichita Open on the Korn Ferry Tour.
Suber shot 7-under par in final qualifying on the North Course at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Md. He earned the first alternate position in the event a player withdrew.
Suber will be teeing it up with Jordan Spieth and Hideki Matsuyama in a featured group at 1:36 p.m. ET on Thursday.