Rahm ends long drought with Mexico Open victory

PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico — Jon Rahm pulled out of a four-way tie with a 12-foot birdie putt on the 14th hole and then held on with pars for a 2-under 69 and a one-shot victory Sunday in the Mexico Open.

Rahm won for the first time since the U.S. Open last summer at Torrey Pines, and the relief showed in the smile and the way he pumped his arm and then pounded down his fist after tapping in for par on the 18th at Vidanta Vallarta.

Rahm has 14 victories worldwide but had gone 17 starts without winning, matching the longest such in is career. The victory moves him a little closer to Scottie Scheffler in his bid to reclaim the No. 1 ranking, and he’ll have a shot at the PGA Championship in three weeks.

Tony Finau and Brandon Wu each closed with a 63, while Kurt Kitayama birdied the final hole from a back bunker for a 68. They tied for second.

Against one of the weaker fields of the year — Rahm at No. 2 was the only player from the top 15 in the world — the Spaniard was a heavy favorite and he played that way from his opening 64. He just didn’t feel any expectations.

“I like to think every time I tee it up I’m a favorite. I play to win,” Rahm said. “Fortunately, I got my seventh PGA Tour win. It was a pretty stressful weekend, all the way to the end.”

Staked to a two-shot lead going into the final round, he never trailed. But it was never easy.

Rahm had a one-shot lead after his lone bogey of the round on the tough par-4 10th.

Champ, who like Kitayama started the final round two shots behind, took himself out of the mix with a triple bogey on the par-4 eighth hole. He never recovered, shot 70 and finished three shots behind in a tie for sixth.

Arnaus captures Catalunya title

Home favorite Adri Arnaus finally won a playoff to beat Oliver Bekker at the Catalunya Championship in Girona, Spain, to claim his first European tour win.

Arnaus, who is from Barcelona in northeast Spain, trailed overnight leader Bekker by seven shots at the start of the day. But he carded a final round 7-under 65 to pull level. In contrast to Becker’s even-par 72,

Arnaus’ fourth round included five birdies and an eagle on the par-5 12th.

In the playoff, Arnaus and Becker made par on five trips to the 18th hole, but when they went to the 17th Bekker’s bogey gave Arnaus the title.

The 27-year-old had previously finished runner-up five times on the European tour. It was his third playoff in a span of seven months.

“It’s a dream come true,” he said. “I’ve been looking for this one for a while.”