Jon Rahm fires 9-under 62 to share lead at CJ Cup on PGA Tour
Jon Rahm moves into a tie for lead with Kurt Kitayama at the CJ Cup in South Carolina.
Jon Rahm produced fireworks on day two of the CJ Cup in South Carolina with a stunning 9-under 62 course record at Congaree Golf Club.
Rahm is making his first start of the 2022/23 PGA Tour season just two weeks after winning the Open de Espana on the DP World Tour for the third time in his career.
The Spaniard started the second round on 2-under par but ended the day in a tie for the lead with American Kurt Kitayama (65) on 11-under par.
Rahm started slowly with two pars but then drained four birdies in a row from the third before adding another at the 8th to go out in 31 shots.
He then turned for home with a birdie at the par-3 10th before adding another at the 13th.
Rahm then holed a 12-foot putt for par on the par-3 14th and then took that momentum forwards by making three birdies in a row from the 15th - the latter of which saw him narrowly miss out on making an eagle-two from 195 yards away.
WATCH RAHM'S INCREDIBLE SHOT BELOW:
That's gotta fall
Birdie No. 10 (!) for @JonRahmPGA pic.twitter.com/rmygMLopJE— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 21, 2022
Rahm unfortunately made a mess of the final hole when coming up short with his approach shot into 18 and he would make his sole bogey of the day to move back into a tie for the lead.
The World No.5 is looking to win on the PGA Tour for the eighth time in his career.
Rahm has been linked with a move away from the PGA Tour to join LIV Golf in recent months, but the Spaniard has denied such talk.
He also took issue with LIV Golf's Phil Mickelson earlier in the week.
Birdie from the high grass
-3 in 4 holes to start the back for @McIlroyRory pic.twitter.com/U7jGMzt7DJ— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 21, 2022
Cam Davis and Aaron Wise are one shot off the pace on 10-under par.
Elsewhere on the leaderboard, Rory McIlroy recovered from a lethargic opening nine with a round of 4-under 67.
McIlroy, who can move to World No.1 once again with victory on Sunday, finds himself just two shots out of the lead on 9-under par.
A group of players are two shots further shot back including Tom Kim, Shane Lowry, Tyrrell Hatton and Billy Horschel, the latter who was heavily criticised by a fellow PGA Tour pro earlier this week.