WASTE MANAGEMENT PHOENIX OPEN

February 4, 2021

Jon Rahm

TPC Scottsdale

Quick Quotes

Q. Despite the bogey on the last hole, a decent day. How would you assess it out there?

JON RAHM: You know, the bogey just makes it feel so much worse than it really is. To be honest, I was 4-under bogey-free through 17 without having my best.

I scrambled early on pretty good. Made the long putt on 1 for bonus, and that front nine I made a 2-under and could have been a lot worse. Back nine I played a little bit better. Could have maybe made a putt on 13 for eagle. That would've been better, and maybe if I put it on dry land. But still, great up and down on 16, two-putt on 17.

Just too bad on 18. That first putt was slow and then the second one, I live here enough to know that valley pull is a thing, and, you know, played it there and it just wasn't there.

Overall, you know, with what's by far not my A game was a pretty good round.

Q. Tell me about the 35-footer on the 1st hole. Nice bonus there at the beginning of the round.

JON RAHM: Yeah, things did not start well. I mean, that tee shot is just a 4-iron, put it in play. It was just downwind off the left. Fader of the ball is good.

Completely blocked it in the rough, got a good lie, flier 9-iron. I'm, you know, felt like a million miles from the hole.

First putt you hit all day you have that putt, I've hit it before. Just got to trust it. You know, take your line and trust it, and I did and it went in. It's that simple. It's a complete bonus. I would've taken a par by far.

Q. Not that many people out here, but at least there was a crowd. Not what you're used to at this event. Just what was it like out there with some fans but not the normal?

JON RAHM: It's fun. It's great to have actually feedback when you hit a shot on the green. We've had none of that for a while, and sometimes you don't know if you're 30 feet or 3 feet. It's nice to have that feedback, to hear the fans cheering for you.

The very few boo's on 16 that you have, because it's not nearly as much as it usually is, right? A lot of fun. We miss the fans. I've missed the fans. Even though it's a very small percentage than we usually have here, it feels like a lot just because we haven't seen them in a while.