Jon Rahm Just Matched an Amazing Anthony Kim Record at the Masters

No one expected to see Jon Rahm’s name at the top of the Masters leaderboard after he carded a disastrous four-putt double bogey on Augusta National’s opening hole. 

In his next 17 holes, however, Rahm was unstoppable. Driven by extremely consistent ball-striking and accuracy off the tee, the Spaniard made seven birdies and an eagle. Rahm was 9 under par outside of his first hole, totaling a stellar 7-under 65. 

Rahm’s superhuman rally after a bumpy start helped him tie Viktor Hovland for the lowest score in the clubhouse. But Rahm also tied someone else on Thursday: Anthony Kim. 

According to golf statistics expert Justin Ray, Rahm tied a record that Kim set in 2009—the lowest score at the Masters with a double bogey or worse on the card. Kim shot 65 in 2009 with a double on the 10th hole. 

Kim, a three-time winner on the PGA Tour, has since disappeared from both professional golf and the public eye. In 2012, at just 29 years old, he stepped away from the game due to injury. 

Ray also shared another Masters statistic that will follow Rahm throughout the rest of the tournament. Only two players have made a double-bogey on the opening hole of a major and gone on to hoist the trophy: Tiger Woods at the 2008 U.S. Open and Lucas Glover at the 2009 U.S. Open.