Many thought there would be a Sun Devil making the cut at the Waste Management Open.
Most of those people thought it would be Phil Mickelson.
Mickelson was a victim to the tough weather and stiff completion, but current Sun Devil golfer Jon Rahm will be playing this weekend after sporting a four under par through the first two days. The ASU standout was even surprised at his placement on the leaderboard.
“I didn’t know until the 18th hole. I was really surprised I was top 13…I thought I was going to be kind of lower,” Rahm said.
Rahm has already made a name for himself as a collegiate golfer. He is a decorated player who won the 2014 World Amateur and did so by breaking a record previously held by Jack Nicklaus.
The junior received one of five sponsor exemptions given out by tournament officials, which allowed him to play as an amateur.
With a teammate as a caddy, and his coach, Tim Mickelson, who is Phil’s brother, watching along, Rahm has been impressive early in the tournament, and has shown some Sun Devil pride.
On the 16th hole, he wore an ASU football jersey with #42, in honor of Sun Devil great Pat Tillman, and his nickname “Rahmbo” on the back. His camouflage golf back displays a “PT-42” patch as well.
“I wrote down 42, (for) Pat Tillman, kid of giving back to the Pat Tillman Foundation,” Rahm said. “We actually have the Pat Tillman bag, as well. (I am) saying thank you to every soldier that are on duty, every soldier that gives service to the country.”
Rahm has set himself up nicely for the next few days, but he isn’t going to get ahead of himself of let these big crowds get to him.
“I’m honestly not really focusing on the score. I’m just playing golf shot by shot. I will just keep doing that.”
If Rahm keeps doing what he’s doing, there may be a Waste Management Open champion coming back to Tempe.
Jordan Hamm
