The Open: Jon Rahm calls for golf rule change after witnessing Shane Lowry's 'no-win situation'

Former Masters champion Jon Rahm says the golf rules should be changed after Shane Lowry was placed in a 'no-win situation' at The Open. 

Lowry fell foul of the rules during the second round of the final men's major of the year at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland.

Tournament officials believed Lowry caused his ball to move whilst he played a practice stroke on the 12th hole.

Lowry said he would not be labelled 'a cheat' after accepting the penalty and 'slaughtered' all over social media.

Rahm, who played with Lowry during the third round, said he could relate to what transpired as it has happened to him.

He described it as a 'no-win' situation.

"Because if you say I didn't see it [move], therefore I don't think it should be a penalty, even though the rule says it should be visible to the naked eye, you always run the risk of being called something you don't want to be called," he said. 

"And if you take it on the safe side, you're taking a two-shot penalty."

Rahm added: "If he starts at two-under today, you have a good Saturday, you can put yourself in contention. When you get 10 shots back, it's a little bit harder.

"It's a tough spot to be in. From what I understand from the whole thing, and I haven't seen the images, this is just from what I heard, it needs to be visible without a camera.

"If the rule says visible to the naked eye, we need to uphold that more than anything else."

A reporter asked Rahm if the rule should be looked at to make it clearer and more straightforward to understand.

"I don't know. It's always going to be based on the situation, and when you get in the rough, it's tricky," Rahm said.

"But if he didn't see it, I just don't know - there's enough people, I'm assuming if he was in the rough on 12, right or left, there's enough people around you that if they see it, they're going to say so.

"Something needs to be changed for sure, I just don't know exactly how they could change it."

"There's nothing you can do"

Pace of play has once again been a huge talking point this week. 

Groups were taking more than six hours to complete their first round and there was also a huge amount of dawdling on Friday. 

Rahm and Lowry zipped round Royal Portrush on moving day. 

But the Spaniard believes the field size is primarily to blame. "It's just what it is," he said. 

Rahm is one of the quicker golfers out there. He was asked how he handles groups playing at a snail's pace. 

"I's a bit of an adjustment after playing in LIV because we absolutely fly," he said. 

"The one thing we do, I feel like every round is less than four and a half hours unless the weather conditions are crazy. Doral [in Bedminster may be a little bit longer.

"It is an adjustment when you get to play a six-hour round a little bit, but I also know it's going to happen. 

"So talk to your caddie, talk to your playing partners. While there's nothing you can do, just try to keep your mind engaged in something else but the game. 

"Just not be thinking, okay, I have this hole, and keep thinking on what you're going to do. 

"Just distract yourself a little bit and basically lock back in when it's time. There's nothing else you can do."

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