Jon Rahm paid tribute to fellow Arizona State Sun Devil Pat Tillman on Thursday at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, sporting a pair of custom shoes with ASU colors and Tillman’s military image.
👟 @JonRahmPGA is paying tribute to fellow Arizona State product Pat Tillman with custom shoes today @WMPhoenixOpen. pic.twitter.com/lbVhER3ooZ
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 30, 2020
Tillman, who played football for Arizona State and also the Arizona Cardinals, quit his professional sports career to join the United States Army and was killed in Afghanistan in 2004.
“As an ASU Sun Devil, you’ve got to learn and you basically get imprinted with what Pat Tillman meant. He was a great example and role model as a student-athlete,” Rahm said after an opening-round 67. “It’s just trying to raise awareness that while we are here, most of the people here are partying, drinking, enjoying the nice sunny Scottsdale weather, there’s people out there, not only military but there’s a lot of people out there just defending and fighting for us to have a secure and safe life and to be able to enjoy things like this.”
Rahm previously paid tribute to Tillman during this event in 2017 and 2018, wearing Tillman’s No. 42 ASU jersey while playing the par-3 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale.
