DUBLIN, Ohio– The drama was more than Jon Rahm wanted. The result was what he constantly thought of.
Rahm became the No. 1 gamer in the world Sunday with a success in the Memorial, in which he viewed an 8-shot lead at the turn shrink to three shots with 3 holes to play and after that hit what he called the greatest shot of his life, which became a bogey because of a penalty.
All that mattered was the fist bump– not handshake– with Jack Nicklaus and taking his location along his idol, Seve Ballesteros, as the only Spaniards to reach No. 1 in the world.
With a 2-shot charge since his ball moved the length of a dimple on his chip-in behind the 16th green, Rahm closed with 3-over 75 for a 3-shot triumph over Ryan Palmer.
Rahm got up and down on the last four greens, which made it even sweeter.
1 Related” One of the best efficiencies of my life, “Rahm said. “Yesterday was most likely among the very best rounds of my life and finished today with some clutch up-and-downs. As a Spaniard, Im sort of thankful it occurred that method.”.
The intense feeling is his trademark. He revealed it on a tee shot that sailed left into a creek on the 11th hole, knocking his club into the ground in a pique of anger. It was also apparent with a ferocious fist pump after his flop shot from deep rough behind the 16th green rolled into the cup.
Birdie or bogey, it was a winner, a shot that would have made Ballesteros proud.
” I still cant believe it, Im not going to lie,” Rahm informed Nicklaus off the 18th green.
With the penalty– Rahm had no concept it was a concern until after his round however accepted the penalty when he saw video that zoomed in on the ball– he finished at 9-under 279 for his 10th profession success and 4th on the PGA Tour.
Muirfield Village played its toughest in 42 years, with only 5 gamers under par, the fewest for the final round since the competition began in 1976. Rahms 75 was the greatest surface by a winner since Roger Maltbie shot 76 the inaugural year.
The rough wasnt cut all week. The greens were enabled to go to the edge since they are being changed. Teams removed the entire 5th green as the leaders were on the back nine.
Rahm looked to be playing a different course. He played bogey-free on the front 9, with birdies on the 2 par-5s. That put him eight shots clear on his way to No. 1.
He made bogey on the 10th. Not an issue.
He yanked his tee shot into a creek on the par-5 11th, which was a bigger problem, based upon how tough he slammed the club into the ground in a pique of anger. He made double-bogey. Palmer made birdie on the 12th, and Rahm made another bogey from the bunker on the 14th.
Just like that, the lead was 3 shots.
Jon Rahm, visualized above with Jack Nicklaus, closed with a 3-over 75 for a 3-shot triumph over Ryan Palmer, marking the highest last round by a Memorial winner because Roger Maltbie shot 76 in the inaugural year in 1976. Aaron Doster/USA TODAY SportsOnly a week ago at Muirfield Village for the Workday Charity Open, Justin Thomas had a 3-shot lead with three holes to wound and play up losing in a playoff to Collin Morikawa.
Rahm was fretted that his tee shot may discover the back bunker, though the rough was not a great option with how quick the greens were running. Rahm was thinking that anything inside 10 feet would be great. This was perfect, with the ball landing on the fringe and moving down the slope into the cup.
As for the penalty?
” It does not alter the outcome of the tournament, “he said.” It simply puts a bit of an asterisk in it, in the sense of I wish I could just keep that birdie due to the fact that it was among the biggest shots of my life, right?”.
The chip was comparable– but from a various angle– to Tiger Woods breaking in from behind the 16th green when he won the Memorial for the fifth time in 2012.
Woods, in his first competition because Feb. 16 since of the COVID-19 pandemic, shot 76 and tied for 40th.
Matthew Fitzpatrick had a 68 for the low score of the final day to end up third.
The alleviation reward went to Palmer (74) and Mackenzie Hughes (72 ), who earned areas in the U.S. Open in September at Winged Foot as the leading two gamers from the leading 10 who were not currently eligible.
Henrik Norlander might have taken the final area with a par on the 18th, but he missed the fairway well to the right, couldnt reach the green and made bogey. Norlander and Hughes connected at 3-under 285, but the spot went to Hughes because he had the much better world ranking.
That ranking now begins with Rahm, who only four years back was at the Memorial to get the Jack Nicklaus Award as the countrys finest college player.
Now hes the best in the world, a ranking Rory McIlroy had given that Feb. 9.
” He deserves it,” McIlroy stated after his tie for 32nd. “Hes been playing great for a long time. Even the display screen this week, its quite excellent.”.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
1 Related” One of the best efficiencies of my life, “Rahm said. Rahm looked to be playing a various course. Palmer made birdie on the 12th, and Rahm made another bogey from the bunker on the 14th.
Rahm was fretted that his tee shot may find the back bunker, though the rough was not a great option with how fast the greens were running. Rahm was believing that anything inside 10 feet would be great.
