Rahm holds on at Vidanta for Mexico Open win

By Sports Desk May 01, 2022

World number two Jon Rahm scored a two-under 69 on Sunday to hold on for a one-shot victory at the Mexico Open.

Rahm's last win came at the US Open in 2021 at Torrey Pines, and it showed as the 27-year-old pumped his fist after holing his par putt on the 18th at the Vidanta course.

There was a sense of relief for the Spaniard, with only one tournament win out of seven times on the PGA Tour where he came into the final day with at least a share of the lead.

With scores of 64, 66, 68 and 69 over the four days, Rahm kept it steady after setting the initial marker after 18 holes, but he still had to deliver when it counted.

After bogeying the par-four 10th for the third consecutive day, there was a four-way tie for the lead as Rahm came to the 14th hole.

He eventually birdied for the third consecutive day on the 14th, despite leaving himself with a tricky left-to-right putt for the up-and-down.

Not dropping a shot for the rest of round, Rahm finished a stroke clear on 17-under for the tournament, ahead of Kurt Kitayama, as well as the fast-finishing Tony Finau and Brandon Wu.

Finau and Wu both posted scores of 63 on the final day in Vidanta, both scoring eagles on respective par fives on the 14th and sixth holes.

Finau's last win came in a playoff against Cameron Smith at The Northern Trust in 2021, and after going five-under from the final six holes, it seemed like another playoff could be on the cards.

Rahm kept his nerve however, and held on for his seventh tournament win on the PGA Tour.

In doing so, he overtook Jose Maria Olazabal (six) for the third-most Tour wins by a Spaniard.

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