© APWF.
Jon Rahm reacts after making a birdie on the 15th hole throughout the last round of the BMW Championship golf tournament at the Olympia Fields Country Club in Olympia Fields, Ill., Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast).
” I still cant think what just took place,” he said.
Neither might Johnson, going for his second straight success. He might only laugh, at his putt and Rahms winner.
” I played an incredible putt, got in the playoff and then Jon made an even more outrageous putt on top of me,” said Johnson, who a minimum of kept his No. 1 ranking worldwide and in the FedEx Cup.
The putts overshadowed a command efficiency by Rahm, who closed with a 66-64 weekend on an Olympia Fields course that played like the toughest test in golf. His only bogey on the weekend came on the 5th hole Saturday when he spaced out and picked up his golf ball from the green without marking it.
© APWF.
Jon Rahm, right, is congratulated by Dustin Johnson on the first playoff hole throughout the last round of the BMW Championship golf tournament at the Olympia Fields Country Club in Olympia Fields, Ill., Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast).
© APWF.
Dustin Johnson responds to his missed out on putt on the playoff hole throughout the last round of the BMW Championship golf tournament at the Olympia Fields Country Club in Olympia Fields, Ill., Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020. Jon Rahm won the tournament. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast).
Moments later, Rahm faced a putt even longer and harder on the 18th – simply outside 65 feet that he had to send at nearly a 90-degree angle to the top of the ridge. From there, it was a replay of Johnsons putt as it headed down the slope, kissed off the pin and vanished into the cup.
There was the 6-iron from 218 backyards for his third shot on the par-5 15th after his tee shot went into the trees and barely came out, setting up a crucial birdie. There was his 30-foot birdie putt on the par-3 16th for a two-shot lead that Johnson eliminated with 2 birdies of his own, none bigger than the last one.
” That stretch of awaiting DJ, him making the putt, entering the playoff, me making the putt, then trying to stay mentally in it just in case he made the last putt, its been a roller coaster, however so much enjoyable,” Rahm said.
He put behind him the one-shot penalty that even on Saturday he stressed would return to haunt him, and he considered it quickly when Johnson had the long birdie putt on the 18th in guideline.
All he could think of on the 18th green in the playoff was discovering a method to get to the next hole, understanding he had a putt from one end of the green to the other and Johnson had a 30-footer.
And then it was over. Rahm won for the 2nd time this year, and for the 11th time worldwide in his 4 years as a pro. His first win came at Torrey Pines when he made a 60-foot eagle putt and end up winning by 3.
” I believe we all want the fancy finish, perhaps not the stress that comes with it,” Rahm stated.” But I set out with myself to enjoy even the uncomfortable moments we had out there today. And guy, it was enjoyable.”.
The course that all week felt like a U.S. Open delivered the sort of excitement normal of the Masters.
Rahm tore through the back 9 Sunday on his way to a 64, the least expensive round of the week, to complete at 4-under 276.
Johnson, a 54-hole leader for his third straight tournament and coming off an 11-shot victory last week at the TPC Boston, birdied 3 of his opening 4 holes to open a three-shot lead, dropped a set of shots around the turn and after that delivered in the clutch with his 45-foot birdie putt on the last hole for a 67.
Johnson enters into the Tour Championship as the No. 1 seed, indicating he will begin the chase for the $15 million prize at East Lake at 10-under par, 2 ahead of Rahm, who moved up seven areas to the No. 2 seed.
Joaquin Niemann, the 21-year-old from Chile, likewise made a spirited run with a 67 and remained in the lead up until a bogey on the 14th and no birdies the rest of the method. He tied for third with Hideki Matsuyama, who had a 69. Tony Finau closed with a 65 to complete 3 behind. They were the only five players under par at Olympia Fields.
Mackenzie Hughes had factor to celebrate, too.
Needing a par on the 18th to move into the top 30 in the FedEx Cup, he put his approach into the front bunker, splashed out to 5 feet and raised both arms when the par putt dropped.
Niemann also moved into the top 30, though he was chasing after success all the time.
Adam Long and Kevin Streelman were bumped out, and Long suffered the worst of those fates. He was forecasted 30th in the FedEx Cup up until Corey Conners three-putted from 5 feet for double bogey on the last hole. That enabled Billy Horschel to go up enough areas on the leaderboard to transfer to the Final and 30th area by three points over Long.
Tiger Woods missed out on all the action. He made double bogey on his 17th hole for a 71, making this the very first time he was over par in all 4 rounds of a competition since the Bridgestone Invitational in 2010.
Woods failed to reach the Tour Championship for the 2nd straight year. He now gets two weeks off before the U.S. Open at Winged Foot, and Olympia Fields proved to be an excellent test for that.
© APWF
Jon Rahm, left, reacts after making his putt on the first playoff hole next to caddie Adam Hayes throughout the final round of the BMW Championship golf tournament at the Olympia Fields Country Club in Olympia Fields, Ill., Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast).
OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill. (AP) Even with a pair of silver prizes in his possession, Jon Rahm still could not believe what happened Sunday in the BMW Championship. And he just saw half of it.
Rahm was on the range on the other side of the Olympia Fields clubhouse, preparing for a playoff that nobody actually expected, when Dustin Johnson rolled in a 45-foot birdie putt down the ridge for birdie to force a playoff.
Dustin Johnson reacts to his missed out on putt on the playoff hole during the last round of the BMW Championship golf competition at the Olympia Fields Country Club in Olympia Fields, Ill., Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020. Jon Rahm won the competition. Jon Rahm, right, is praised by Dustin Johnson on the first playoff hole during the final round of the BMW Championship golf competition at the Olympia Fields Country Club in Olympia Fields, Ill., Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020. I played an unbelievable putt, got in the playoff and then Jon made an even more ridiculous putt on top of me,” stated Johnson, who at least kept his No. 1 ranking in the world and in the FedEx Cup.
That stretch of waiting for DJ, him making the putt, going in the playoff, me making the putt, then trying to remain psychologically in it just in case he made the last putt, its been a roller rollercoaster, however so much fun,” Rahm said.
