Jon Rahm looked every bit like a U.S. Open contender after a bogey-free opening round at Shinnecock Hills. Less than 24 hours later, the LIV Golf star suffered one of the most dramatic reversals of the championship, crashing out of contention and missing the cut, as reported by Golfweek.
The collapse was especially surprising given Rahm’s recent success and lofty expectations entering the week, making Friday’s unraveling one of the most shocking stories of the 2026 U.S. Open.
Rahm’s first round â completed Friday morning after Thursday’s suspension due to darkness â ended at 2-under-par 68, the first bogey-free card at a Shinnecock Hills U.S. Open since 2004, snapping a streak of 578 consecutive rounds with at least one bogey or worse, according to NBC Sports reporter Nick Zaccardi. He sat tied for fifth, four shots behind Wyndham Clark. It felt like a third major championship and second U.S. Open title were within his reach.
Then came Round 2, a complete disaster. Rahm made four straight bogeys on holes 12 through 15, managing just one green in regulation across that stretch. He followed that humiliating streak with a double-bogey 7 on the par-5 16th. His tee shot found a fairway bunker. His second found another. His third found a greenside bunker. His fourth stayed in it. He finally reached the green on his fifth shot and two-putted to finish the hole in ruins.
A closing 8-over 78 left him well below the projected cut line of 3 or 4 over par. He dropped nearly 100 spots on the leaderboard.
Rahm’s U.S. Open Meltdown at Shinnecock Hills
Entering the week, the world No. 8 had the third-shortest odds to win the U.S. Open, trailing only Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy. He had logged two wins and three runner-up finishes on LIV Golf in 2026. By any reasonable measure, he was in top form.
Shinnecock has a history with Rahm â and not a pleasant one. He missed the cut at the 2018 U.S. Open there, posting rounds of 78-77. This marked the second time in his major career he has failed to make the weekend there. The only other missed cut in a major since 2018 came at the 2024 PGA Championship.
Rahm made his on-course frustration pretty obvious. The 31-year-old Spanish star let loose an audible expletive after missing a birdie putt on the 9th hole, picked up by live broadcast microphones, before the back nine unraveled completely. He turned at even par for the tournament, then gave it all back and more over the final nine holes.
Rahm’s Next Major: The Open Championship
Rahm’s next opportunity arrives in mid-July at the Open Championship â known informally as the British Open â at Royal Birkdale. He has strong footing on links terrain. His third-round 63 course record at Royal Liverpool during the 2023 Open Championship, where he finished runner-up, remains one of the more compelling outings on the biggest stages.
Since joining LIV Golf in December 2023 on a reported contract worth around $300 million to $350 million, Rahm has dominated that circuit, winning the individual championship in back-to-back seasons, according to PGA Tour reports. He owns two major titles, the 2021 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines and the 2023 Masters. But major results have been uneven since the move to LIV, and this week at Shinnecock offered a sharp reminder of that reality.
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