PINEHURST, N.C. – Jon Rahm was sporting one flip-flop Tuesday at Pinehurst, and it wasn’t because he was about to take a dip in the pool adjacent to the press conference area.
Rahm is dealing with an infected left foot, and it has already significantly hampered his preparation for the year’s third major.
Rahm didn’t arrive on property until Tuesday morning, and he said that it remains a “concern” as he gets ready for the opening round.
“It’s doing better,” he said Tuesday. “But definitely still in pain.”
Rahm still doesn’t know how he suffered the cut between the pinky and ring toe on his left foot, but the issue grew into a lesion that got infected. He said he received a pain-killing injection prior to the second round of LIV’s event last Saturday in Houston – a shot that was supposed to last the entirety of the day – but instead he was already in pain again after the second hole. Worried that he’d continue to make swing compensations, he withdrew a few holes later.
“The pain was high,” he said. “The infection was the worrisome part. The infection is now controlled, but there’s still swelling and there’s still pain.”
Footwear versatility pic.twitter.com/9BOXpqPLpi
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That’s why, on Tuesday, Rahm was wearing a flip-flop on his left foot – to keep the area dry and allow it to heal as quickly as possible.
“But I can only do what I can do,” he said. “The human body can only work so fast.”
It’s another setback in what has been a frustrating first half of the season for Rahm, a four-time winner a year ago who defected to LIV Golf and has yet to get in the winner’s circle in 2024. He also hasn’t played well in the majors, tying for 45th in his Masters title defense and missing the cut last month at the PGA Championship.
Rahm’s pre-tournament work this week might be limited, but he did make an initial trip to Pinehurst No. 2 a few weeks ago to see the course for the first time. The 2021 U.S. Open champion called it a “lot of fun to play.”
“It’s definitely a unique track, but it’s a very enjoyable walk,” he said.
Well, at least it was before his foot injury.