Jon Rahm is currently taking a break from his LIV Golf duties this week, joining many PGA Tour players at The Masters.
Rahm was criticised in his opening press conference at Augusta National, having deflected the issue of a potential merger between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.
Spanish star Rahm has been labelled a Masters contender, having headed into the event third in the LIV Golf individual standings.
He is behind compatriot Sergio Garcia in second and Chilean Joaquin Niemann in first, with all three taking on The Masters this week.
Rahm managed to avoid LIV Golf and PGA Tour talks, but he has recently been discussing another issue within the game of golf.
Jon Rahm says why slow play is a problem on the PGA Tour but not on LIV Golf
Speaking about rangefinders, Rahm told social media personality Gabby Golf Girl: “I will tell you one thing that we don’t have an issue with on LIV and that is pace of play. The rangefinder is probably part of it.
“I think a lot of caddies will still sometimes walk it and try to get a number to the book but if there is no time, especially on a par three, you just get out there and shoot it and it is so fast.”
Slow play is currently a major problem on the PGA Tour, with golf fans having called for Brian Harman to be punished for the issue just last week at the Valero Texas Open.
This week, Augusta National Chairman Fred Riley spoke out against slow play, while speed-of-play statistics will soon be released by the PGA Tour.
The issue hasn’t been limited to the men’s game, with women’s world number one Nelly Korda criticising slow play on the LPGA Tour last year.
What were Jon Rahm’s stats from miserable Masters first round?
Despite beginning his LIV Golf season strongly, Rahm endured a simply torrid start to his 2025 Masters, with the Spaniard sitting T63 after his first round.
The two-time major champion was frustrated as he carded a three-over 75, although he certainly wasn’t the only big name to struggle on day one at Augusta.
| Stat | Total | Rank |
| Birdies | 2 | T52 |
| Pars | 11 | T50 |
| Bogeys | 5 | T75 |
His fellow LIV Golf star and indeed fellow Masters winner Phil Mickelson also finished on three-over, joined by another former champion in Danny Willett among others.
Rahm, who won The Masters in 2023, made just two birdies at the iconic course on Thursday, ranking T52 for that statistic.
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