Jon Rahm Jumps To No. 2 In The World

Details: Category: Inside Golf; Published: 2018-01-24

Jon Rahm Celebrates After Winning The CareerBuilder Challenge. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

LA QUINTA, California (AP) — Jon Rahm beat Andrew Landry with a 12-foot birdie putt on the fourth hole of a playoff in the CareerBuilder Challenge.

In fading light on the Stadium Course at PGA West, Rahm finished off Landry for his second PGA Tour title and fourth worldwide victory in a year. The 23-year-old Spaniard will jump from third to second in the world ranking behind Dustin Johnson.

“It’s hard to believe, to be honest, passing Jordan Spieth, three-time major champion,” Rahm said. “I only have two wins and he’s got 10-plus, right? I never thought I was going to be at this point in my life right now.”

Rahm overcame surprising par-5 problems in regulation to shoot 5-under 67. Landry, playing a group behind Rahm in the final threesome, forced the playoff with an 11-foot birdie putt on the water-guarded 18th for a 68. They finished at 22-under 266.

“Tournaments like this build character,” Rahm said. “I’m just proud of myself to hit what’s probably my least favorite club, which is the 3-wood, three times in a row dead center on my line on 18 — four times if you include the regular play.”

After Rahm made his birdie putt on the fourth playoff hole, Landry missed an 11-footer.

Rahm and Landry each missed chances to win on the first two extra trips down 18. Rahm’s 9-foot birdie try slid left on the first, and Landry’s 8-footer went by to the right on the second. They missed long birdie tries on the third extra hole, the par-4 10th.

Rahm parred the four par 5s on Sunday, with the Pete Dye-designed layout playing tougher with many pin positions on the edges of greens, after going 13 under on 12 par 5s in the first three rounds with an eagle and 11 birdies.

The former Arizona State star was second behind Johnson two weeks ago at Kapalua in his first start since winning the European Tour’s season-ending event in Dubai in November. Rahm will open his Torrey Pines title defense Thursday in San Diego.

EUROPEAN TOUR

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Tommy Fleetwood ran off five birdies on the back nine and closed with a 7-under 65 to successfully defend his title Sunday in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

Fleetwood, who won the Race to Dubai last year on the European Tour, won by two shots over Ross Fisher.

Rory McIlroy, playing for the first time in more than three months, began the final round one shot out of the lead but could only manage a 70 and tied for third with Matt Fitzpatrick.

Fleetwood, a 27-year-old from England, was five shots behind at the turn when he made his move. He holed a 25-foot birdie putt on the par-3 15th to tie Fisher for the lead, and then moved ahead with a 50-foot birdie putt on the next hole. He added a final birdie on the 18th, which proved to be a cushion when Fisher failed to birdie the last two holes.

“I had the year of my life last year. I know everybody has been talking about it, and just backing it up is the next big thing, really,” Fleetwood said. “It’s a weird feeling coming to defend a trophy because it’s yours and you don’t want to give it away.”

Fleetwood finished at 22-under 266.

Dustin Johnson, the world No. 1 who was runner-up in Abu Dhabi last year, closed with a 70 and tied for ninth.

ASIAN TOUR

SINGAPORE (AP) — Masters champion Sergio Garcia began his 20th year as a pro by closing with a 3-under 68 for a five-shot victory at the Singapore Open.

Garcia won for the 28th time in his career, and in his fourth Asian country.

Starting the final round of the rain-delayed event at Sentosa Golf Club, the Spaniard birdied his first hole, picked up two more birdies before the turn and made all pars on the back nine.

He won by five shots over Satoshi Kodaira (71) of Japan and Shaun Norris (70) of South Africa.

Jazz Janewattananond, a 22-year-old Thai, was among four players who earned spots in the British Open. The others went to Danthai Boonma of Thailand, Lucas Herbert of Australia and American Sean Crocker.

PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS

KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii (AP) — Jerry Kelly turned a one-shot deficit into a one-shot victory with an 18-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a 6-under 66 to win the Mitsubishi Electric Championship on Saturday in the PGA Tour Champions opener.

Colin Montgomerie, who had a one-shot lead playing the final hole, went over the green from a fairway bunker and missed a 6-foot par putt to force a playoff.

The 51-year-old Kelly won for the third time on the PGA Tour Champions. He was coming off a tie for 14th in the Sony Open on the PGA Tour.

Kelly finished at 18-under 198.

Defending champion Bernhard Langer closed with a 70 and tied for 16th. It was his worst finish since a tie for 18th in the U.S. Senior Open last July.

OTHER TOURS

Jaime Lopez Rivarola of Argentina, who graduated from Georgia last year, had a 68 to build a one-shot lead after two rounds of the Latin America Amateur at Prince of Wales Country Club in Santiago, Chile. Joaquin Niemann of Chile, the No. 1 amateur in the world, and defending champion Toto Gana of Chile were one shot behind. The winner gets a spot in the Masters. ... Willy Wilcox was among four players who finished at 6-under 66 in the opening round of The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic on the Web.Com Tour. Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano also was at 6 under through 15 holes when the round was suspended by darkness.

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Jon Rahm Jumps To No. 2 In The World

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