After the third round, Jon Rahm said he felt he needed something in the 60s in the final round to win the Hero World Challenge, and that “anything worse than 69” from the winner would shock him. Those words ended up being prophetic, as a 69 from Rahm would have at least put him in a playoff.
But a playoff wasn’t necessary thanks to Rahm’s closing seven-under 65, a round that featured no bogeys and seven birdies to give him a four-stroke victory over Tony Finau, who posted a 69 to finish alone in second. Rahm, who took down Tiger Woods in the singles matches at the Ryder Cup, was thrilled to claim his latest victory in an event hosted by the 14-time Major winner.
“That Sunday with Tiger was the most emotional, most important moment of my golf career,” Rahm said. “That meant so much to me to play against him in Sunday’s match, and a couple months later to win his event, his foundation’s event, this is really special.”
It won’t count as an official victory for the young Spaniard, but he will take home a trophy and the $US1 million first-place prize. Not to mention the confidence boost he’ll receive from taking down 17 of the world’s best in the Bahamas.
“I grew up watching all those events, watching Tiger win it many times in a row and Graeme (McDowell) and many other players, and I’ve seen what it’s done to their careers. Jordan Spieth won this event (in 2014) and he went on to win two Majors the next year. So, I hope this is something similar for me as well.”
This is Rahm’s first win of any kind since April, when he won the Spanish Open in his home country with a final-round 67. Prior to that, his most recent US PGA Tour victory came in January at the CareerBuilder Challenge, also carding a closing 67 and winning in a playoff. His maiden PGA Tour win came the previous January at the Farmers Insurance Open, where he first flashed his penchant for closing tournaments with a final-round 65.
Matching Rahm’s 65 was Justin Rose, who climbed all the way to a third-place finish after entering the final round five behind. Henrik Stenson finished one back in fourth, while Patrick Cantlay carded the round of the day, an eight-under 64, to tie for fifth with defending Hero champion Rickie Fowler.
