Memorial Tournament
Jon Rahm’s Win Vaults The Spaniard To World Number One
Jon Rahm became the first Spaniard since Seve Ballesteros in 1989 to hold golf's world number one ranking, fending off a late challenge to win the US PGA Memorial tournament.
Rahm holed out an amazing 31-foot chip shot at the par-3 16th and, despite a two-stroke penalty that turned it from a birdie to a bogey, took a three-stroke victory over American Ryan Palmer that boosted him over Rory Mcilroy atop the rankings.
"It has been a goal since I was 13-, 14-years-old," said Rahm, among the Spanish youth inspired by the feats of Ballesteros, a five-time major champion and one of Europe's greatest golfers. "Seve is a very special player to all of us, and to be second to him, it's a true honour," Rahm said. "Anytime I can join Seve at anything, it's incredible."
Rahm fired a three-over par 75 in the final round to finish on nine-under 279. He began with a four-shot edge and made the turn ahead by eight before dropping four strokes in a five-hole span. A bogey at the 10th, and finding a water hazard off the tee at the par-5 11th upset Rahm who slammed his club into the ground on his way to double bogey.
"Conditions were so tough. I knew I wasn't going to play 18 perfect holes,” Rahm said. "It was so firm, so windy, and then we started to get drizzle. Any little mistake was going to get punished."
Palmer sank a 13-foot birdie putt at the par-3 12th and Rahm stumbled again with a bogey at 14, finding a greenside bunker and missing a five-foot par putt, to leave the lead at three shots with four to play.
"When I missed the putt on 14, I said, 'That's enough,'" Rahm said.
Palmer had a 12-foot birdie putt at 16th when Rahm blasted out of the deep grass, landed the ball just onto the green and watched it roll into the cup.
The 25-year-old said of his amazing chip shot, "That'll probably go down as my greatest chip shot. I don't know if I'll ever do better than that. Luckily, I pulled out probably the best short game shot I will ever have.”
Jack Nicklaus, the 18-time major winner and tournament host called the shot "spectacular" as he congratulated Rahm with a fist bump at the 18th green.
Rahm's win wasn't without controversy as he was penalised two strokes penalty although it didn't change the lie and was imperceptible to Rahm himself. TV slow-motion showed his ball moved when he pushed down on the grass behind it just before his incredible chip.
"It did move. It is a penalty. I'll accept it," Rahm said. "Had I seen it, I would have said something, but the camera had to zoom in to see it."
The tournament was the sixth of the season for the US PGA, all without spectators, since the tour returned in June from a three-month coronavirus pandemic shutdown.