PGA Tour pro shanks one off the face of the earth

Every PGA Tour pro will have a heinous shank at one point or another during their competitive career. Fortunately, most do not have ProTracer technology lined up alongside national TV cameras there to catch it.

Jon Rahm, lighting it up in his very first start as a pro, did not have the good fortune of shanking one in obscurity on Saturday at the Quicken Loans National. Rahm has been incredible through two and a half rounds after turning pro this week and earning low amateur honors last week at the U.S. Open. He held the lead after each of his firs two rounds as a pro at Congressional.

Rahm is going to be a world-class talent for many years to come, but he started to leak oil while playing in the final twosome on Saturday. He tugged a couple wedges, hit a driver right into a water hazard at the 10th, and then ... well, he delivered this piece of art. We’ve seen this before with Steve Stricker, who shanked one off the course at the U.S. Open a few years ago at Merion. ProTracer was there to catch that one too, and while this wasn’t a major, the picture was comparably ugly.

Rahm will have many, many years to make up for it, but that “50 foot apex” graphic along with that ignominious red streak will live with him for awhile.

Here’s the 50 Cent interpretation (via the incomparable @Nick_Pants):