Rahm ends drought
Jon Rahm moved into the lead with a birdie at the 14th hole Sunday and saved pars the rest of the way to hang on and win the Mexico Open in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
The Spaniard posted a two-under-par 69 to finish at 17-under 267, one shot better than Brandon Wu, Tony Finau and Kurt Kitayama.
Wu and Finau shot matching rounds of eight-under 63 early in the day at Vidanta Vallarta to shoot up the leaderboard and put pressure on Rahm. The world No. 2 had one bogey and three birdies on the day, the last coming on a left-to-right 11-foot putt at the par-5 14th.
Rahm held at least a share of the lead after all four rounds. He has now won at least one event in six straight seasons.
His victory broke a nearly 11-month title drought dating to the U.S. Open last June.
“I don't look at bets. I like to think every time I tee it up I can win,” Rahm said. “It was a pretty stressful weekend. But I got it done at the end.”
Canadian Michael Gligic finished eight shots back.
▪ Adri Arnaus of Spain shot a final-round 65, and then beat Oliver Bekker of South Africa in a six-hole playoff, to win the European Tour's Catalunya Championship.
▪ Marina Alex used a finalround 66 to win the LPGA Tour's Palos Verdes Championship by one stroke over Jin Young Ko.
▪ A three-way battle for the PGA Tour Champions' Insperity Invitational event turned into a solo coronation on the final nine holes as New Zealand's Steven Alker pulled away to claim the crown at The Woodlands (Texas) Country Club.
O'WARD WINS INDYCAR
Pato O'Ward won his first IndyCar race of the season at the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham.
It is the third career victory for the 22-year-old Mexican driver, his first since the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix on June 13, 2021.
O'Ward led the final 36 laps. He made a key pass of polesitter Rinus VeeKay on the 62nd lap and inherited the lead when defending race-winner
Alex Palou pitted on the 64th lap.
Palou finished in second, followed by VeeKay, Will Power and Scott Dixon.
▪ The DuraMAX Drydene 400 at Dover Motor Speedway in Delaware will resume today at 9 a.m. PST after rain showers forced a race stoppage on Sunday afternoon.
Reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson led Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott when the red flag came out for the inclement weather 78 laps into the scheduled 400-lapper.
SOCCER SHORTS
▪ Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur both posted victories as the race for fourth place in the Premier League intensified, but third-placed Chelsea are not totally assured of a top-four finish after they lost 1-0 at Everton.
▪ In Italy's Serie A, AC Milan and Inter Milan both won, leaving the sides two points apart. Defending champion Inter needs the league leaders to slip up in their final three games if they are to defend their crown.
▪ Barcelona defeated lowly Mallorca 2-1 to snap a threematch losing run at Camp Nou in all competitions as they climbed to second in LaLiga.