LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jon Rahm returned to world No. 1 on Sunday by winning the Genesis Invitational with a performance that leaves no doubt about who plays better golf.
Caught in a battle with hometown favorite Max Homa at Riviera, Rahm delivered two big moments with a birdie putt 45ft from the fringe on the par-3 14th, then a 2ft tee shot for a birdie on the par-3 16th.
He closed with a 2-under 69 for a two-stroke win over Homa.
“Pretty amazing,” Rahm said. “(Winning) on a golf course with this heritage, this history and hosted by Tiger Woods, is such an honor.”
Patrick Cantlay got a shot on the back nine until two bogeys. He had a 67 to finish alone in third place, moving him to world No. 4.
Woods had four bogeys in an eight-hole stretch and shot 73 to tie in the 45th.
“Unfortunately my streak continues,” Woods said with a smile, referring to his 12 Riviera appearances as a pro without ever winning.
Its success is measured in progress. It was the first time he had played 72 holes since the Masters last April – Woods has only played twice more since then as he tries to cope with leg and back injuries that will make rare PGA Tour appearances. He didn’t know if he would play again before the Masters.
Woods still had the biggest gallery until the end, thousands of fans gathered on the hill above the 18th green to watch him finish with a par in that familiar red shirt under a black vest.
And then viewers turned to a terrific duel between Rahm and Homa, each with two PGA Tour wins this season.
Rahm now has five wins in his last nine starts around the world, since winning the Spanish Open. He hasn’t finished outside the top 10 in his last 10 tournaments.
It was his third win in five PGA Tour starts this year, and he’s already earned more than $9 million in the past two months.
It wasn’t as easy as it seemed in the end.
“It was a tough week and a tough Sunday,” Rahm said.
Homa, who won at Riviera two years ago, started the final round three strokes back. He quickly got one stroke closer, only for the Spaniard to come inches from the fairway hole at No. 8 for a birdie tap, while Homa bogeyed behind the green to slip three shots again behind.
And then that changed quickly.
After Homa birdied the ninth from 15 feet, he drove to the far edge of the 10th green and went down in half for a birdie. Rahm started well to the left. His shot was short and rolled down the back of the green, behind a bunker. He pitched onto – then onto – the green in another bunker, and he had to go 6-footer for bogey.
Two holes later, Homa took the lead for the first time when Rahm put three bogey putts, only to have Homa return it with a bogey on a bad tee shot.
The par 3 won it for Rahm, with his putter and a full swing. He finished 17-under 267 and earned $3.6 million on the $20 million purse, the PGA Tour’s second consecutive high event.
Rahm has now earned just over $9.4 million over the past two months on the PGA Tour – wins in Kapalua and the California desert and on the classic Riviera course off legendary Sunset Boulevard. He finished third at Phoenix and tied for seventh at Torrey Pines in his other two starts this year.
It’s the fifth time Rahm has been world No. 1, and the way he’s been playing, it looks like he could stay there for a while.
Rory McIlroy, who started the year at No. 1 and won his first event of the year in Dubai on the European tour, was not a factor for the second straight week. McIlroy had a 73-71 weekend and finished tied for 29th.
___
AP Golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
973espn-yourbasin
Don’t miss interesting posts on Famousbio
