Rahm returns to No. 1 with victory
Holds off Homa with late birdies for Genesis title
LOS ANGELES — Jon Rahm returned to No. 1 in the world on Sunday by winning the Genesis Invitational with a performance that left no doubt who’s playing the best golf.
Caught in a battle with hometown favorite Max Homa at Riviera, Rahm delivered two big moments with a 45-foot birdie putt from the fringe on the par-3 14th and then a tee shot to 2 feet for birdie on the par-3 16th.
He closed with a 2under 69 for a two-shot win over Homa.
Patrick Cantlay got within one shot on the back nine until two bogeys. He had a 67 to finish alone in third, moving him to No. 4 in the world.
Tiger Woods had four bogeys in an eight-hole stretch and shot 73 to tie for 45th.
His success was measured in progress. It was his first time playing 72 holes since the Masters last April — Woods only played twice more since then as he tries to cope with leg and back injuries that will make PGA Tour appearances rare. He did not know if he would play again before the Masters. Rahm now has five wins in his last nine starts worldwide, dating to his win in the Spanish Open.
Ladies European: Lydia Ko began the new year the same way she ended 2022, with a big win and a big check as she closed with a 4-under 68 to win the Aramco Saudi Ladies International. Ko, the No. 1 player in women’s golf, held off Aditi Ashok to capture $750,000, the richest prize among regular Ladies European Tour events.
Champions: Bernhard Langer matched Hale Irwin’s PGA Tour Champions victory record of 45, winning the Chubb Classic for the fifth time. The 65-year-old Langer matched his age with a closing 7-under 65 for a threestroke victory over Steve Stricker and Padraig Harrington. Langer finished at 17-under 199. At 65 years, 5 months, 23 days, the German star extended his record as the oldest winner.
DP World: Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark claimed his seventh European tour title with a fourshot win in the Thailand Classic.