1 of 5 | Jon Rahm of Spain was 17-under through 72 holes at the 2023 Genesis Open. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI |
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Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Spaniard Jon Rahm carded a final-round 69 to finish 17-under overall, claim the 2023 Genesis Open title and reclaim the top spot in the Official World Golf ranking.
Rahm totaled five birdies over his final 18 holes Sunday at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif. No. 8 Max Homa finished second at 15-under. No. 4 Patrick Cantlay, No. 7 Will Zalatoris and No. 44 Keith Mitchell also finished in the Top 5. Scottie Scheffler, who entered the tournament as the No. 1 player in the world, finished tied for 12th and dropped to No. 2.
No. 3 Rory McIlroy (-4) tied for 29th. No. 985 Tiger Woods tied for 45th.
"I guess I just have to keep doing what I've been doing," Rahm told reporters, when asked about his recent surge. "I've doing a lot of the things I need to do properly, every single day. I am just keeping that daily process. ... Right now I'm seeing the dividends of all of my hard work over the years."
Mitchell and Homa shared the lead at 7-under through the first 18 holes of the tournament Thursday at Riviera. Rahm was 6-under through 18.
Rahm carded a 3-under 68 in the second round, including two eagles and three birdies. Homa held the overall lead at 10-under through 36 holes, one stroke better than Mitchell, Rahm and Lee Hodges heading into the weekend.
The Spaniard smoldered with a 6-under 65 in the third round. Rahm carded six birdies and did not bogey Saturday to drop to 15-under overall and gain a 3-stroke lead on the field. Homa entered the final round at 12-under, just ahead of Mitchell (-11), Cantlay (-10) and Gary Woodland (-9).
Rahm started the fourth round with a birdie on No. 1. He made par on No. 2, but dropped to even for the round with a bogey on No. 3. Rahm made par on Nos. 4, 5 and 6. He then birdied Nos. 7 and 8 and par on No. 9 to pick up two strokes on the field.
Rahm dropped back to even for the round with bogeys on No.s 10 and 12. He went on to birdie two of his final five holes to clinch the victory and a $3.6 million first-place prize.
The PGA Tour schedule will continue with the 2023 Honda Classic. That tournament will run from Thursday through Sunday at PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
