HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. -- Masters champion Jon Rahm shook off his first-round struggles to shoot 7-under 64 on Friday and move back into the mix midway through the second round of the RBC Heritage.
Rahm dealt with Masters fatigue, a near 90-minute rain delay and his own inexperience on tight, testy Harbour Town Golf Links for a 1-over 72 that had him fighting simply to make the cut this week. Rahm had four bogeys and just two birdies on Thursday to fall nine shots behind first-round leader Aaron Rai.
Rahm put all that aside Friday in a sunny morning, bogey-free round where he had seven birdies to finish at 6 under through 36 holes. When he was done, Rahm had secured his spot in the final two rounds and had moved from tied for 92nd to tied for 11th.
Jimmy Walker, who also played Friday morning, was leading at 12 under. The afternoon wave of competitors, led by Viktor Hovland who shot 64 on Thursday, were on the course.
Rahm flashed his world No. 1 form early Friday. He started on the back nine and had four straight birdies starting on the 11th hole. He rolled in a 33-footer for birdie on the par-3 No. 14 over water.
"Today overall felt pretty good,'' Rahm said. "I felt like my body was moving properly. Still not as good as I would like to be, but really, really good. So, hopefully, it can keep getting a little bit better.''
Rahm posted his lowest score in six career rounds at Harbour Town and closed in on a goal to collect a second winning jacket -- the RBC Heritage gives out a plaid, checked coat to its champion -- to go with the green jacket he won at the Masters.
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