THE 154TH OPEN

July 18, 2026

Jon Rahm

Mixed Zone

Q. With regard to Tommy, what do you make of the adulation? Is it different than any place else?

JON RAHM: The best way I can explain it, it was so intense that, without meaning any disrespect to England, I'm glad England didn't win that game because I would have been having a heck of a three days with the fans if they played Spain in the final.

You can hear it constantly no matter where he goes. It's constant unconditional support. The best part is they cheer him on, but they're respectful to everybody else playing. That's what makes it so fun for all of us.

No matter how late in the round, how bad things get, everybody is almost cheering for everybody in the group. I felt plenty of support even playing with Tommy, and it's been a lot of fun.

I can't imagine what it's like to play what's most likely his favourite event of the year at home because I get a small pinch of what it feels like to play when I play in the Spanish Open, and if it was a major in Spain, I can only imagine what it feels like.

Q. I don't know if you've felt pressure at home, you've been very successful over there.

JON RAHM: You can't compare Spanish Open to an Open Championship at home. It's very different levels.

Q. How much pressure do you think that adds? He wants to please everybody, right?

JON RAHM: Well, he's doing it for himself. It's just the added energy and emotion that comes from the crowd. You can use it to play better, or it can at times actually be a bit of a challenge. There's just so much energy going on, and Tommy is a rather calm person.

He's done a fantastic job at managing it. Yeah, it's just a lot more to deal with the whole week, not just today. It's something he needs to be aware of constantly.

For the most part, when things are going good, it's very easy to ride that wave. Tomorrow if he gets going early, makes two, three birdies the first four or five holes, you can ride that wave, and everybody on the course will know where Tommy is and what's going on.

Q. A lot of players have been asked to weigh in on Bryson's penalty situation. Were you aware of it? Did you see it?

JON RAHM: We were the group behind, so I was aware when we got to scoring. I can tell you, I've heard there's multiple angles. I've only seen the face-on one. So I can't really give you an idea.

For people who have seen all the images, I think the consensus is that, although it wasn't intentional, it was an infraction. That's what I understand, but I haven't seen. I guess there's a down the line shot that I haven't seen. I couldn't tell you.

What I saw face-on to me wasn't enough for me to draw a conclusion. I wish I could tell you more. If you have the video, I'll see it, but I haven't seen it.

Q. There's a lot of videos. I wish I could show you one. I don't know that would be the best use of our time. I wonder, Bryson is always a big story. You've played on LIV with him. He's good at sort of turning that into excitement and stuff. Do you think that any of this will, I don't know, energize him in some ways?

JON RAHM: There are some players that do really well when they have some, let's say some extra going on off the course. Some of his better performances this year in Singapore and South Africa, he had -- and I don't know the extent of it -- quite a bit going on off of course, quite a bit.

Some of those things, one of them -- I think it was more than one, but one of them that I learned, I wouldn't wish on anybody, and he was able to perform incredibly well with a lot of added extra, let's say, noise and distraction.

It's a lot easier to do in a regular event rather than an Open Championship when he thought he was going to go to sleep one shot back and finds himself three shots back.

He seems to be doing just fine. Last I checked, he was at 6-under.

Q. This is a little random, but you look a little leaner this year. Is that intentional?

JON RAHM: Yes, a little bit. I think since -- it's been for the last two years I've lost quite a bit of weight, or at least body fat, if you go composition-wise. I think since December, since November, December of last year, I am down somewhere around 12, 13 pounds, yeah.

Q. What was the motivation?

JON RAHM: Just trying to be healthier. I have been working with a doctor trying to be healthier in some ways. Having some time in October, November, December to hit the gym a little bit more and essentially just I've been more mindful eating nutritionally.

We hired a chef, and that helps a lot because I don't know how to cook. So Uber Eats became quickly the answer. So having somebody that knows what he's doing and eating cleaner is key. I would say it's a combination of all things.