Jon Rahm is a proud Arizona State alum so you had to think he was excited to visit Sun Devil Stadium for ASU’s home football game against USC.
And of course he had the U.S. Open trophy in tow.
Rahm and wife Kelley were special guests for the evening, and during one break in the action, went on the field to show off the hardware and take in a little public adoration from the fans.
“Great to be back here,” he said in a selfie video posted later while hanging out on the sideline.
Rahm won the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines in June. While at ASU, he won 11 times, second only to Phil Mickelson’s total of 16. He met Kelley, a track-and-field athlete at ASU so Saturday night brought everything full circle.
Rahmbo
@JonRahmpga | #ForksUp https://t.co/ViCQr6jKeQ pic.twitter.com/Z5iRXiz7c2
— Arizona State Sun Devils (@TheSunDevils) November 7, 2021
ASU won the game, snapping a two-game losing streak.
But neither the victory nor the appearance by a major champion is what had people talking the most. No, that honor goes to a fox that somehow found its way into the stadium and onto the field early in the first quarter.
FOX ON THE FIELD pic.twitter.com/74HpVMlPHy
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) November 7, 2021
With the help of stadium officials, the fox was directed through a gate and escaped into the night unharmed.
We interrupt this regularly scheduled program to bring you this important message.
There is a FOX on the field, @ASUFootball.
ESPN
https://t.co/oIyZfYSpgK pic.twitter.com/5jSzEckkE1
— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) November 7, 2021
According to azcentral.com, the fox apparently has a den in a butte near the stadium and comes over all the time to snack. Football fans are known to fumble popcorn, pretzels and peanuts. Those scraps are easier to catch than anything else the omnivorous mammals are likely to get their paws on.
“That fox has been in this place longer than any of these fans or coaches,” ASU head coach Herm Edwards said after the game. “He knows this place. I see him all the time.”