JON RAHM: First round in quite a while. A golf course that I haven't been before. It's quite a test once the wind gets going on those first ten to 12 holes, wasn't easy. To finish with a round like that, I'm very happy.
Q. Talk us through what you made look really rather easy on the 4th?
JON RAHM: Well, the bunker shot on the 4th, yeah, it's one of the weird things where it's almost better to be in a long bunker than short. It's one of those things where it's more, hopefully get to the hole and have a chance of going in.
Q. You were very solid from tee-to-green throughout the day and you're still getting to learn the golf course properly. Talk us through the second and the third.
JON RAHM: Yeah, downwind, par 5, swing as hard as possible. Blasted a little to the right. I didn't expect it to take a big bounce and I had 160 metres and an 8-iron and enough of a gap to go just at the pin. Pulled it off and rolled the putt in. I did not expect to have that short eagle putt when I saw the ball on the tee because I started it off left with the wind.
Q. Do you feel like this is a great setup your game, this place?
JON RAHM: Yeah, it's difficult. It's got quite a bit of length in all the places that it needs to. It gets windy which makes the fairways run more, and if you do miss in the rough -- having the strength to hack it out of the rough every once in a while is very, very needed. It is a golf course that I'm very happy to be at.
Q. You had an incredibly consistent year last year, what are the aspirations for this year? What's to be of your agenda for 2025?
JON RAHM: I would like to do a lot of the same of what I did last year. I was very consistent. I had gotten into some habits in my swing that were just not producing the results that I wanted. I clearly was able to play good throughout the year but not in the majors, the pressure was a little higher. I tried to get rid of that in the off-season and go back to what I feel more comfortable doing on the golf course.
So far today, I would say, is the freest round I've had in a long time with the least amount of swing thoughts, which was very nice. I still made some mistakes with some irons into the greens, like the one on 7, the one on 16 and a couple others. Overall, a lot more comfortable and more like what I like to see.
If I can keep doing that, I'll give myself a chance in majors, and of course, have a good show in late September. That would be a great way to finish the year.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports