Jon Rahm responds to Brooks Koepka's ‘childish’ comment: “I'm comfortable with who I am”
Jon Rahm has hit back at Brooks Koepka's "childish" remark that the latter made after the first day's play at the 2023 Ryder Cup. The PGA Championship winner was disappointed with the way the Spaniard reacted after their tied fourball match.
During the post-round interview on Saturday, Rahm spoke about the incident that happened during the fourball match on Friday at the prestigious biennial event. He made a clear statement that he came out to play, to compete, and nothing else.
The Spanish golfer shared that he was not too happy to leave a 10-footer on the 17th hole that possibly allowed them to tie the hole. He added that it was the frustration that let him keep walking and did not let him stop at that moment.
Jon Rahm also responded to Brooks Koepka that if the latter thought it was "childish", then that's what he is. The Spaniard added that the LIV golfer could think whatever he wanted.
As quoted by the BBC, he said:
"If Brooks thinks that's childish, it is what it is. He's entitled to think what he thinks. I'm very comfortable with who I am and what I do. I've done much worse on a golf course like that. That doesn't even register to a low level of Jon anger on the golf course."
While speaking of what he thinks about himself, Jon Rahm clarified that he is happy with the way he is and does not think that is right, wrong, or childish. But he felt that it was needed at that moment, and he did that.
"As far as I'm concerned, I'm very happy with who I am, and I needed to do that at that moment to let off some steam and play the hole I wanted to do. Is it right or wrong, childish or not, I don't know, but that's what I needed at the moment," Rahm said.
Brooks Koepka took a direct attack on Jon Rahm saying "Act like a child" after the first day of the 2023 Ryder Cup
On Friday, Team Europe's Nicolai Hojgaard and Jon Rahm faced Team USA's Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka in the second fourball match in the afternoon session.
Drama erupted at the 44th edition of the Ryder Cup when Team USA's 1-up lead was leveled up by the Spaniard's brilliant eagle on the par 4 16th hole. This led to the match moving forward to the 17th, and Rahm missed out on a put on the hole.
It was still unclear what really brought Brooks Koepka some discomfort on the golf course of Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome. However, during the post match interview, the LIV Golfer spoke of the incident and called out Jon Rahm for acting like a "child".
Koepka was quoted by Sports Illustrated as saying:
"I mean, I think me and Scottie birdied, what did we say, 14, we birdied 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and then lost by two. So yeah. I mean, I want to hit a board and pout just like Jon Rahm did. But, you know, it is what it is. Act like a child. But we're adults. We move on."
On Saturday at the 2023 Ryder Cup, Brooks Koepka and Scottie Scheffler again teamed up together in a losing cause against Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg in the morning foursome match.
Meanwhile, Jon Rahm paired with Tyrrell Hatton against Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffle in the morning foursome match. They defeated the latter pairing by a 2&1 margin.