Jon Rahm receives code of conduct warning at Open Birkdale

Jon Rahm received an official warning for a breach of the new player code of conduct during the second round of the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale on Friday, July 17, 2026. The incident occurred after the Spaniard, a two-time major champion, pulled his tee shot left of the green on the par-3 15th hole and threw his iron to the ground in frustration.

Rahm was informed of the warning by a rules official as he approached the 17th tee. Under the code, which was introduced for the major championships in 2026, a first violation results in a warning, a second in a two-stroke penalty, and a third in disqualification. Rahm avoided a penalty this time but will face stricter consequences for any further infractions over the weekend.

After his round, in which he shot a 3-under 67 to reach 4-under for the tournament, Rahm acknowledged the warning was warranted. He explained that his reaction stemmed from the unexpected nature of the poor shot during an otherwise solid performance. He described the conditions on the 15th tee as ideal for his 6-iron and said he was attempting a routine swing he had executed countless times. The subsequent miss, he said, led to the outburst.