David Puig downplays Jon Rahm’s retirement and his rules in Houston

El Golf espol pass del “Houston, we have a problem” When John Rahm, touched on one foot, decided to retire on the 6th hole with all smiles after Saturday in the Texas city. David Puig, The Lady-worthy golfer of recent times, jumped into the lead with a final birdie. He shares it with Mexican Carlos Ortiz, Polish Adrian mironek and English veteran Paul Casey, all with 10 under par.

Puig was formidable. It took four holes to warm up, but since then it has become a hitting machine. He recorded seven birdies, one bogey, for 66 strokes, the best result of the day. His performance was the foundation on which the fireballs were based, with Sergio Garca (70) and Abraham Unser (66) also succeeding, consolidating the team’s lead by four strokes ahead of the inexhaustible torque. “I made a couple of good pairs at the beginning,” revel David. “And the truth came out very strong.”

One of the Garrigues lives a blissful moment. On Monday, he led one of the US Open qualifiers to earn a ticket to the third major of the year. There , in addition, he will have the option of authenticating the passport for the Olympics and everything is built from the modesty of joining the Asian tour, a rather secondary circle, with sacrificed trips that Puig does not give up. “It’s a matter of business,” he insists. “It would be great to be in Paris with John, a dream come true.”

“I’m good too.”

It doesn’t hurt the Spanish of the purity of the golfers he has around. People like Patrick Reed, the winner of the 2018 Masters, who is one stroke away. “They are very good, but I am also good. I just haven’t had my chances yet, but I’m fine. The picture that I have is a toy. Nerves? Well, I’m sure it will be morning, but feeling the nerves is good. If I have nerves, I do things right and that I care.”

Next to him is Carlos Ortiz, a golfer who doesn’t even know what it’s like to win a leaf Championship…, But who knows what it’s like to win in Houston, when in 2020, in another tournament, he took the open qualifiers of the PGA Tour. The Mexican enjoyed a great day of golf, annoyed only by a couple of bad shots from the tee, which cost him a bogey. But he found a sweet moment at the halfway point again from 8 to 13, where he left five birdies that pushed him into the lead. The ‘torque’, father of four daughters, confides in his last laps that have become so bright this season in Liv. He is 21 under par in those rounds. “I think it’s hard for me to adapt to the fields. I’m trying to do more training rounds. My game is fine, but anyone can win. Anyone who reaches -15 will most likely do this.”