Tour News
Jon Rahm has another rules incident at the British Open
Two weeks after his rules-related debacle at the Irish Open, Jon Rahm is again butting up against the Rules of Golf at Royal Birkdale.
The Spaniard, who carded an opening-round one-under 69, was approach his ball in the rough at the 17th hole. Rahm spotted a vine next to his ball. Assuming the vine was dead, and thus a (removable) loose impediment, he grabbed it.
“I got there and I thought it was a loose impediment because it looked dead, so I just moved it to the side. And that’s when [playing partner] Lee [Westwood] came and he realized it was attached.”
At this point, Rahm let the thorny obstruction go and summoned the authorities. The question at issue was whether Rahm improved the lie in the course of his vine-grabbing.
Interestingly, Rahm was provisionally assessed the requisite two-stroke penalty, carding a seven on the hole.
He then met with officials to review the incident after they round, they determined that he hadn’t improved his lie, and thus, shouldn’t be assessed a penalty.
“The discussion was was it an improvement of the lie or not; that’s it. I explained my version of what happened. Unfortunately for me I was the only one who saw it; there were no cameras to back me up. That’s what happened and it was never on my lie, it was never on my line, it was never on my swing path, it was not going to bother my in any way.”
Rahm said he didn’t try to lobby for not having committed the infraction, but rather he simply recounted what happened to the best of his ability and let them make their decision.
“At the end of the day it’s not my call, honestly. I can describe what happened as honestly and truthfully as possible, and as detailed as can happen, and they make the judgment call. it’s up to them.
“They did say it was a very fine line, but the decision is up to them. I would’ve been fine with whatever. They’re the rules officials; they know the rules better than any of us, and it’s their call. I said the same two weeks ago.”
Obviously, two rules situations in three weeks isn’t the best look, but any suggestions the fiery Spaniard is trying to bend the rules are misplaced based on the available evidence.
You can watch Rahm recount the entire incident in more detail to the Golf Channel, below.
Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2026 OccuNet Classic
With the PGA Tour across the border in Canada this week, GolfWRX Tour Photographer Greg Moore stayed stateside and headed to the OccuNet Classic presented by Amarillo National Bank in Amarillo, Texas.
It’s always interesting to see what the guys are playing on the KFT, and this week certainly hasn’t disappointed so far, with some incredible wedge stamping on display.
Check out links to all our albums below.

General Albums
WITB Albums
- Ryan Palmer – WITB – 2026 OccuNet Classic (KFT)
- Mahanth Chirravuri – WITB – 2026 OccuNet Classic (KFT)
- Josh Creel – WITB – 2026 OccuNet Classic (KFT)
- Phichaksn Maichon – WITB – 2026 OccuNet Classic (KFT)
- Brandon Berry – WITB – 2026 OccuNet Classic (KFT)
- Ryan Burnett – WITB – 2026 OccuNet Classic (KFT)
- James Song – WITB – 2026 OccuNet Classic (KFT)
- Andrew McLauchlan – WITB – 2026 OccuNet Classic (KFT)
- Ian Gilligan – WITB – 2026 OccuNet Classic (KFT)
- Alvaro Ortiz – WITB – 2026 OccuNet Classic (KFT)
- Russell Knox – WITB – 2026 OccuNet Classic (KFT)
- Ian Holt – WITB – 2026 OccuNet Classic (KFT)
- Mitchell Meissner – WITB – 2026 OccuNet Classic (KFT)
- Travis Trace – WITB – 2026 OccuNet Classic (KFT)
- Bryce Lewis – WITB – 2026 OccuNet Classic (KFT)
Pullout Albums

Luke Potter’s custom Cameron putter – 2026 OccuNet Classic (KFT)
Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open
GolfWRX Tour Photographer made the trip from the Memorial Tournament across the country to the U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera. Check out links to all the photos below!

General Albums
- 2026 US Women’s Open – Wednesday #1
- 2026 US Women’s Open – Wednesday #2
- 2026 US Women’s Open – Wednesday #3
- 2026 US Women’s Open – Wednesday #4
- 2026 US Women’s Open – Wednesday #5
WITB Albums
- Chloe Kovelesky – WITB – 2026 US Women’s Open
Asterisk Talley – WITB – 2026 US Women’s Open - Sarah Hammett – WITB – 2026 US Women’s Open
- Rio Takeda – WITB – 2026 US Women’s Open
- Hannah Green – WITB – 2026 US Women’s Open
- Amy Yang – WITB – 2026 US Women’s Open
- Auston Kim – WITB – 2026 US Women’s Open
- Paula Francisco – WITB – 2026 US Women’s Open
- Athena Singh – WITB – 2026 US Women’s Open
- Brianna Do – WITB – 2026 US Women’s Open
- Meja Ortengren – WITB – 2026 US Women’s Opens
- A Furue – WITB – 2026 US Women’s Open
- Katelyn Kong – WITB – 2026 US Women’s Open
- Natalia Guseva – WITB – 2026 US Women’s Open
- Cass Alexander – WITB – 2026 US Women’s Open
- Johanna Sjursen – WITB – 2026 US Women’s Open
Pullout Albums
- Scotty Cameron putter covers – 2026 US Women’s Open
- TaylorMade’s US Women’s Open staff bag & covers – 2026 US Women’s Open

Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2026 Memorial Tournament
GolfWRX is on site this week at the Memorial Tournament, with both Alistair Cameron and Tour Photographer Greg Moore on the ground in Dublin, Ohio, where a strong field is assembled to pay homage to the Golden Bear.
In addition to WITB galleries, we’ve already been treated to an in-hand look at Tommy Fleetwood’s new TaylorMade Spider putters.
Check out links to all our photos below.
General Albums
- 2026 The Memorial – Monday #1
- 2026 The Memorial – Tuesday #1
- 2026 The Memorial – Tuesday #2
- 2026 The Memorial – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Jason Day – WITB – 2026 The Memorial
- Chris Gotterup – WITB – 2026 The Memorial
- SungJae Im – WITB – 2026 The Memorial
- Alex Noren – WITB – 2026 The Memorial
- Jacob Bridgeman – WITB – 2026 The Memorial
- Lucas Glover – WITB – 2026 The Memorial
- Bud Cauley – WITB – 2026 The Memorial
- Alex Smalley – WITB – 2026 The Memorial
Pullout Albums
- Jason Day’s 1off Payntr golf shoes – 2026 The Memorial
- JT Poston’s TaylorMade Spider – 2026 The Memorial
- Cameron putter – 2026 The Memorial
- Tommy Fleetwood’s TM Spider putters – 2026 The Memorial
- New Mitsubishi Chemical 1K Pro Orange shaft – 2026 The Memorial
- Bettinardi putter – 2026 The Memorial
- Min Woo Lee’s Callaway Apex 18* UT iron – 2026 The Memorial
- Wyndham Clark’s putter – 2026 The Memorial
- Lucas Glover putters – 2026 The Memorial
- Nicolai Hojgaard’s new Callaway 4 iron – 2026 The Memorial
- Adam Scott’s L.A.B. Golf putter – 2026 The Memorial
- Scotty Cameron Xperimental Prototype 11+ putter – 2026 The Memorial
- JJ Spaun’s updated/newest L.A.B. Golf putter – 2026 The Memorial
-
Equipment6 days agoMemorial Tournament Tour Report: Rory McIlroy, Cameron Young switch up drivers, and more
-
News1 week agoRussell Henley’s winning WITB: 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
-
Whats in the Bag3 days agoJ.T. Poston’s winning WITB: 2026 Memorial Tournament
-
Equipment3 days agoBest irons 2026: Best irons overall, most forgiving irons, and more
-
Equipment1 week agoDetails on Jason Day’s latest prototype Avoda iron setup
-
Equipment3 weeks agoCJ Cup Byron Nelson Tour Report: Koepka and Kim’s newest putters finally get hot
-
News2 weeks agoCharles Schwab Challenge Tour Report: MacIntyre, Åberg and Spaun all switch putters, TaylorMade launches new Spider
-
Equipment2 weeks agoDetails on J.J. Spaun’s surprise putter switch

Bert
Jul 23, 2017 at 8:48 am
“IT LOOKED DEAD, SO I JUST MOVED IT TO THE SIDE” To the side of what? Once moved 2-shots.
Rich Douglas
Jul 22, 2017 at 8:41 pm
Rahm did the right thing–in calling over the rules official. He did NOT, however, make the right call on the action. It should have been a penalty for improving his lie. But why?
Rahm says the vine in question was not on his line and not in his way. Okay, but why did he attempt to remove it? It’s presence, obviously, was problematic, even if just visually. That means pulling on it improved his lie, even if just visually. He should have checked it carefully instead of assuming it was dead AND detached. (Being dead wouldn’t be enough.)
But because he brought in the rules officials and, after the round, they interviewed him further and decided in his favor, it’s much ado about nothing. The number of “Shanks” this article is being given is disappointing.
Nagah
Jul 22, 2017 at 9:29 am
It took seven seconds to move the vine !
Adam
Jul 22, 2017 at 2:34 am
Major issue with golf’s honor code system. Unless you’re a silver spoon/country club kid, you are breaking the rules. You’re sneaking onto courses, practicing where you’re not supposed to, whatever it takes.
You’re used to hearing, “you aren’t allowed to do that.” You’ve been threatened with arrest for traspassing, been verbally abused, you name it.
And yet, if you don’t break the rules, or the law, you’re unlikely ever to be great unless you’re rich. The whole “honor” thing doesn’t work if you’re broke.
Adam
Jul 22, 2017 at 2:00 am
First, a major college coach told me last week that there’s cheating in college golf but that they drill into their players, “don’t be that guy.”
The message is that if you have to cheat, you’re just not that good.
As to Rahm, only he knows for sure. If he broke the rules, he should call a penalty on himself.
JThunder
Jul 21, 2017 at 9:12 pm
Also, why is “Shank” the lowest rating? Many of these “stories” deserve a “whiff” – at least with a shank, you make some kind of contact, albeit horrible, embarrassing and debilitating… A swing and a miss is still worse.
JThunder
Jul 21, 2017 at 9:10 pm
“Obviously, two rules situations in three weeks isn’t the best look, but any suggestions the fiery Spaniard is trying to bend the rules are misplaced based on the available evidence.”
And yet, this article exists, the title of which is typical sensationalist media – aka click-bait.
“Non-incident”?
Golf would be best served to allow the rules officials to do their jobs the best they can, and forget about the TV-watcher and forum-troll wanna-bes.
*This* is the kind of nit-picky garbage that can drive people away from the game. What kind wants to take up a game where moving a twig gives you a two-stroke penalty? The baby-boomers raised their kids to be *WAY* more entitled than that…
Dave R
Jul 21, 2017 at 8:25 pm
It was growing much like his nose. Two strokes that’s it.
Matt
Jul 20, 2017 at 11:02 pm
I find the article confusing. They don’t make it clear who brought up the infraction. Was it Rahm or Westwood. They allude to both. If its Rahm – totally cool. Two rules infractions in a couple weeks aren’t a big deal. Coincidence, if anything Rahm is a stickler on himself. If Westwood had to raise this, it changes the story completely. How bad was the infraction that Westwood noticed him removing a fixed impediment. Must’ve been at least mildly obvious.
Rwj
Jul 21, 2017 at 3:54 am
Lee Westwood brought to Rahm’s attention the vine was attached which would be a rules infraction. Interesting that his view is that it was in no way on line, path, etc…then why did you even touch it? Coincidence this type of thing happens to Rahm again, although I believe he should have been penalized at the Irish Open, he seems shady to say the least never calling the penalty on himself. This doesn’t seem to back what used to be the gentleman’s game. Maybe the college coaches should teach these guys the rules while they are in college playing. What are the coaches doing with them during their time on the team?
Woodster
Jul 20, 2017 at 9:29 pm
“it was never on my lie, it was never on my line, it was never on my swing path, it was not going to bother my in any way”
So if that is the case, why move it all? The fact that Lee Westwood had to be the one to raise the issue is even more incriminating.
Matt
Jul 20, 2017 at 11:00 pm
Did Westwood or Rahm raise it? The article says Rahm called an official.
Dat
Jul 20, 2017 at 5:54 pm
Cheating is cheating.
2putttom
Jul 21, 2017 at 4:46 pm
“Rahm said he didn’t try to lobby for not having committed the infraction, but rather he simply recounted what happened to the best of his ability and let them make their decision” ….
J Witness
Jul 20, 2017 at 5:16 pm
Apparently the rules of golf don’t apply to Spanish players…
*See Sergio at the Masters