PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

May 14, 2026

Jon Rahm

Aronimink Golf Club

Flash Quotes

THE MODERATOR: Jon Rahm is with us now at the 108th PGA Championship.

Q. Jon, can you talk a little bit about the 2nd hole, yeah, that eagle.

JON RAHM: I mean, what can I say? It was a phenomenal shot, really good wedge shot. I came off that 1st green kicking myself because it was a wrong choice of shot for such a good drive. 105 yards away downwind, it was the wrong shot choice.

Go to the next hole, and I have a very similar number, at least I have to play it the same number into the wind. Obviously a lot more committed with the right decision, and hit a great shot, obviously the luck of seeing it go in, right?

It was funny, I was like -- I think we were on 16 or 17 when somebody holed out on 11. I kind of thought, man, how often you see hole-outs in majors on TV and how rarely I've ever seen one in person. Then about an hour later I get to do it myself, right? So that's just one of the funny moments in golf.

Q. Can you describe the biggest difficulty out there? A few people going into the start thought the scores would be a lot lower. Obviously 3-under is leading.

JON RAHM: People thought it would be lower?

Q. People thought the scoring would be lower this morning.

JON RAHM: Have you been out there? Have you seen the golf course?

Q. Yeah.

JON RAHM: You know what, I can understand because, if you just go by some of the numbers, some of the fairways are wide, the greens aren't crazy firm. But a lot of those fairways are sloped in a way that they play very narrow.

Like 15 today, I thought I was going to be in the fairway undoubtedly, and I was off the fairway. Same on 10, same on 4. It can easily roll off.

Then the rough doesn't look as long as many other majors, but it's such a thick blade of grass that, even when the lie looks okay, it catches you so bad.

So I can see how in appearance it might be easier, but it's not. You need to play really good golf to shoot lower than 3-under. And then on top of that, those pin locations today are good ones. I mean, they're tucked. They're not easy.

There was somebody earlier in the week where there was some chatter where people thought 15- to 20-under was going to win. And I think that got to somebody in the PGA, and they did something about it. Because if the golf course stays like this and it keeps firming up, yeah, obviously it's not going to be anything like that.

Q. I saw you apologize to a fan on the 7th hole. What happened there?

JON RAHM: Thanks for reminding me of that. I got a flier on my second shot that went long. It's not a good spot. Just out of frustration, I tried to make an air swing, just over the grass, and I wasn't looking, took a divot, and unfortunately, I hit a volunteer.

Yeah, it hit him, and unfortunately it hit him in the shoulder and then the face. Which I couldn't feel any worse. That's why I was there apologizing. I need to somehow track him down to give him a present because that's inexcusable and for something that could be completely avoidable.

Whether it was my intention or not, it was just not good.

Q. Rory talks a lot about his place in history. Scottie never mentioned it. I'm wondering where you fall on that continuum. Do you think about it? Is it important to you?

JON RAHM: My place in history?

Q. Yes.

JON RAHM: I think I need to accomplish a lot more to even think about it. It makes sense why Rory would think, second on the all-time list of majors in Europe. First one ever to do the grand slam. It makes sense why he would think about it, right? I would put him as the greatest European to ever play already.

When it comes to the grand scheme of things, he's up there. And I can see why he thinks about it, because he can take this within the context, he's not too far away from being an undoubtedly top-10 player of all time. Which I'm sure a lot of people would already put him there, and he still has many, many years to play.

Thinking that Jack won when he was 46 and Phil winning in his 50s. So at least 10 or 15 years, with how good a shape he's in, to accomplish a lot.

Scottie, kudos to him. To accomplish as much as he does and never really change who he is and what he thinks of himself is impressive. I would credit that to a lot of his success as well. He's a very down-to-earth person and a fantastic golfer, obviously.

Q. But what about for you? What are you chasing?

JON RAHM: Oh, me? Sorry, I misunderstood the question. The best way I can say it is I hope I can put myself in a situation where I can dream of thinking about where my career is at all time. Do I think about it actively? No, not really.

I think there's a lot of people with my resume. I need to do a lot more to give myself the luxury to think where I'm may be at in the history of the game.