Flop shot on 16 helps put Rahm atop world

DUBLIN, Ohio — Jon Rahm won the Memorial to join Seve Ballesteros as the only Spaniards to reach No. 1 in the world, a victory he finally wrapped up with a magical shot that would have made his idol proud.

Rahm built an eightstroke lead at the turn, only to see it reduced to three with three holes to play Sunday on a Muirfield Village course playing its toughest in 42 years.

Behind the green on the par-three 16th, with Ryan Palmer facing a 12-foot birdie putt, Rahm hit a flop shot from deep grass that came out perfectly. It landed on the fringe, ran toward the hole and dropped for birdie.

Replay of Rahm’s chip appeared to show the ball moved slightly when he placed his lob wedge behind it. PGA Tour officials reviewed it and gave him a twoshot penalty. It didn’t affect the outcome.

“It doesn’t take anything from the shot,” he said. “It’s not going to take anything away from today.”

Rahm closed with a three-over-par 75 for a threestroke victory over Palmer, the highest final round by a Memorial winner since the inaugural year in 1976.

“One of the best performances of my life,” Rahm said. “Yesterday was probably one of the best rounds of my life, and finished today with some clutch up-and-downs. As a Spaniard, I’m kind of glad it happened that way.”

Tiger Woods shot a 76 and tied for 40th.

Nicklaus had virus

Jack Nicklaus revealed during the telecast that he and his wife, Barbara, tested positive for the coronavirus at the onset of the pandemic.

“It didn’t last very long, and we were very, very fortunate, very lucky,” Nicklaus said. “Barbara and I are both of the age, both of us 80 years old, that is an at-risk age. Our hearts go out to the people who did lose their lives and their families. We were just a couple of the lucky ones.”