Rahm goes -3 in his season premiere, at the ‘Desert Classic’

The Spanish Jon Rahmformer world number one and individual winner in 2024 of LIV Golf, He started with a card of 69 strokes (three under par) his first round at Bayani Dubai Desert Classicof the DP World Tour (ex-European circuit) where it makes its debut in the 2025 season, remaining four shots behind the trio of co-leaders.

Rahmwhich still maintains its dispute with the European Tour to play in the Ryder Cup (which is currently inaccessible to European players present at LIV Golf), was somewhat irregular, failed on several fairways, to finish signing an ‘eagle’, four ‘birdies’ and three ‘bogeys’.

So, after a good start with the so-called ‘Desert Classic‘, with birdies on holes 3 and 4, he finished the first round with two bogeys (7 and 9). His best performance came on the 10th, a par 5 that finished in 3, then birdied the 13th with a -3.

On the last leg of the Emirates Golf Club course in Dubai, One from Barrica made a ‘bogey’ on the 16th hole, quickly recovered with a ‘birdie’ on 17. A total of 69, which left him four shots behind the short-term (still remaining to finish the day) co-leaders, Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia, the Australian David Micheluzzi and the American amateur David Ford , who signed 65 each.

Of course, Rahm showed the best route of the ‘Spanish army’, with 8 other players, in addition to the San Sebastian player. Adrian Otaegui, who has been playing under the United Arab Emirates flag for months, knows the course well since he lived in Dubai for 13 years and finished with a 73 (+1).

Iván Cantero went to -2, Manuel Elvira and Ángel Hidalgo to -1, Nacho Elvira and Alfredo García-Heredia signed the pair, Alejandro Del Rey, Jorge Campillo and Pablo Larrazábal went to +3. Paraguayan Fabrizio Zanotti also scored 75.

One of Rahm’s challenges, in addition to finishing his preparations for the start of LIV, is include his name in a list of Spanish winners of this tournamentwhere Seve Ballesteros (1992), Chema Olazábal (1998), Miguel Ángel Jiménez (2010), Álvaro Quirós (2011), Rafa Cabrera (2012) and Sergio García (2017) have lifted the trophy.

Among the ‘illustrious’ who also finished their first tour, the Northern Irishman Rory McIlroywinner of four editions of the ‘Desert Classic, including the last two, finished 70 strokes (-2), after making four birdies and two bogeys.