Jon Rahm needs a miracle to win his second Masters.

Jon Rahm faces an almost impossible mission in pursuit of his second title at the Augusta Masters. After a disastrous start on Thursday, where he shot a 78, the 2023 champion knows he needs a true “miracle” to don the coveted Green Jacket again. “I’m going to need an absolute miracle,” Rahm confessed after a more consistent second day, posting a round of 70, two under par. “I’m going to have to put together an extraordinary round tomorrow to give myself a chance, and even then, I might be too far back.”

Since joining the LIV Golf circuit, Rahm has struggled to break into the top 10 at the Masters, a result that has now repeated for the third consecutive time (2024, T-45; 2025, T-14). When asked if LIV tournaments require any adaptation for the rigor of Augusta, Rahm was straightforward: “None. Golf is golf.”

His dismal Thursday was marked by a complete absence of birdies and the recording of four bogeys (on holes 1, 3, 6, and 9) along with a double bogey on the 13th, a scenario that nearly compromised his tournament. On Friday, the Spaniard responded with three birdies (on holes 2, 5, and 16), but stumbled again on hole 9, where he suffered a bogey.

“I know exactly where I went wrong,” Rahm said, reflecting on the fateful day. “I just couldn’t execute on the course; there wasn’t a single hole in the second round where I felt relaxed enough to try something different.” Regarding his practice session on Thursday afternoon, the world number one revealed that the 20 balls he hit were nothing more than a way to release frustration.

With a total of 36 holes at four under par, Rahm now finds himself exactly on the cut line for the weekend, in a position that requires an almost perfect performance to dream of triumph. The big question looming over Augusta is: does Jon Rahm have the strength and inspiration to pull off the miracle that would lead him to win his second Masters? The answer will come in the next few days.

This article first appeared on Apito Final.