Jon Rahm makes honest LIV admission on eve of U.S. Open: "I'd be lying"

Jon Rahm has admitted his performances in the breakaway LIV Golf League don't paint a true picture of his form. 

The Spaniard is among the favourites to mount a challenge for the U.S. Open title this week. 

The 30-year-old is looking to bounce back from a particularly brutal finish at last month's PGA Championship. 

Rahm tied Scottie Scheffler at the turn in the final round at Quail Hollow but collapsed in epic fashion down the stretch. 

The former Masters and U.S. Open winner dropped five shots in the final three holes and later admitted his 'embarrassing' demise was 'a tough pill to swallow'. 

Since then, Rahm added another top 10 finish at LIV Golf's stop in Virginia. 

Rahm has not finished outside the top 10 since he left the PGA Tour for the PIF-backed league in December 2023. 

On Tuesday, Rahm was asked by one golf reporter contextualise his top 10 streak. 

"I would happily trade a bunch of them for more wins," Rahm said "That's for sure. But I keep putting myself in a good position. .

"Listen, I'm a realist in this case. I've been playing really good golf, yes, but I'd be lying if I said that it wasn't easier to have top 10s with a smaller field. That's just the truth, right? 

"Had I been playing full-field events, would I have top 10 every single week? No. 

"But I've been playing good enough to say that I would most likely have been inside the top 30 every single time and maybe even top 25, which for 21 straight tournaments I'd say that's pretty good. 

"I still would have had a lot of top 10s, that's for sure."

Rahm said his performance in the final round last week was poor by his standards. 

"I was [still] able to finish eighth," he said. "I think winning is equally as hard, but you can take advantage of a smaller field to finish higher.

"I wouldn't always -- as much as I want to give it credit personally for having that many top 10s, I wouldn't always give it as the full amount just knowing that it's a smaller field."

Jon Rahm outlines approach to Oakmont

To say Oakmont will be a test this week would be an understatement. 

Defending champ Bryson DeChambeau claimed last week the course challenges players' sanity as well as their game. 

Rahm told reporters he knows that mistakes will happen but wants to make sure he can respond in the right way. 

At times, Rahm's temper gets the better of him. 

Just last week hot mics picked up another F-bomb which prompted LIV's commentator David Feherty to suggest he take a nap. 

"It's gotten a lot better," Rahm said.  

"I think my main issue is always with accepting the mistakes. I'm fully aware that I can make mistakes, but accepting that I've done it but it's my fault and move on. 

"A lot of times I'm very vocal about blaming something on the outside even though when I'm saying it, I'm fully aware it was my fault. 

"So the quicker I accept that it's me and I move on is going to help.

"There's been weeks where I've performed really well on tough courses where that was the case. 

"I think, as it relates to me, it's that, just that acceptance that it's going to happen and it happens and do what you need to do to hit the better shot next time."

Rahm said he believes if it doesn't rain this week then the winning score will likely be over par again. 

"It's something that none of us, I would say, are used to, but it's a challenge you need to embrace," he said. 

"If there's any part of your game that will be tested on a week like this, it will be your mental game, that's for sure."