Jon Rahm insists he is no cheat after Lee Westwood raises suspicions over latest rules controversy

JON RAHM denied there is a rift between him and Lee Westwood after a rules controversy.

Rahm copped a two-shot penalty in round one – later revoked – after playing partner Westwood raised the alarm over a possible rules breach.

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Getty

Fiery Rahm was let off by Open chiefs on Thursday night, so what would have been a 71 stayed a 69.

He went on to make the cut after a second-round 74 left him three over for the tournament.

Rahm, 22, said: “We’ve moved on. Obviously no hard feelings. He was actually trying to help.

“He was trying to avoid me getting into trouble if somebody saw it on TV or had it on his camera phone.

“So I think he did it with the best intentions. And I told him I believe he felt bad I had to go through it.

“But hey, we’re in here together. I was not mad at him.”

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Getty

Westwood spotted Rahm moving some scrub near his ball when he ploughed into the rough on the 17th.

He pointed out it was not dead vegetation and therefore could not be deemed a loose impediment.

It is the second time in two weeks Rahm has been involved in a rules storm after accusations he replaced his ball on the wrong spot on the green at the Irish Open, which he won by six shots.

Yesterday Rahm and Westy looked best buddies - with the Spaniard cheering and fistpumping the Englishman after an eagle on the fifth.

On the controversy, diplomatic Westwood said: "I saw him lift it up and move it around to about three o'clock. That's all I saw. I'm not commenting on anything else."