LOS ANGELES – Jon Rahm used two late birdies to power past Max Homa for a victory in the Genesis Invitational on Sunday that moved the Spaniard back to No. 1 in the world.
Rahm grabbed his third US PGA Tour title of 2023, after wins at the Tournament of Champions and the American Express in La Quinta, California.
It was his fifth win in his last nine starts worldwide, a run that included his third Spanish Open triumph in October and victory in the DP World Tour Championship in November.
Rahm was thrilled to secure a win at Riviera Country Club, the classic course west of Los Angeles that has produced such champions as Ben Hogan – but where, Rahm noted, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods have never won.
“My streak continues here,” said Woods, who has played at the Riviera course 12 times without winning.
The 47-year-old, who hosted the event, was in the spotlight as he returned to competition for the first time since missing the cut at the British Open.
The 15-time Major champion, still limited by the severe right leg injuries he suffered in a February 2021 car accident, carded a final-round 73 to finish on one-under 283, tied for 45th.
“To reach that milestone of double-digit wins, is pretty incredible,” Rahm said, after capturing his 10th career PGA Tour title.
“And to do it at a golf course with this legacy, this history and hosted by the man himself, Tiger Woods, it’s a true honour. I can’t really explain it.”
For a while, however, it looked like Rahm might let this one get away.
He admitted he was nervous entering the day.
“Of course we feel nervous. I’m a human being, after all, and I’m aware of the magnitude of this moment and this golf course, right?” Rahm said.
“I’ve never had three PGA Tour wins in a season and to do it this early on is incredible, and to do it at this golf course...
“As a historian of the game, to be able to win a tournament hosted by Tiger and the one hosted by Jack as well, it’s pretty incredible.”
He started the day with a three-shot lead over Homa and was up by three through eight holes.
Homa closed the gap with a birdie at the ninth. Rahm’s bogey at the par-four 10th, where he was well left off the tee, proved especially costly as Homa rolled in a six-foot birdie to pull level atop the leaderboard at 16 under.
Rahm fell a stroke behind with a three-putt bogey at the 12th.
But, after Homa bogeyed No. 13, Rahm dropped the hammer, rolling in a 46-foot birdie at the 14th and pushing his lead to two strokes with an aggressive birdie at the par-three 16th – where his tee shot straight at the flag settled less than three feet from the hole.
Homa, a local favourite from nearby Burbank who won the title in 2021, could not find an answer, although he made things interesting at No. 18 with a third shot from the left rough that skipped across the cup.
He closed with a 68 for a 15-under 269 – one stroke in front of American Patrick Cantlay (67) who was alone in third. American Will Zalatoris carded a 64 for 271.
“I wanted to push (Rahm). He is a spectacular golfer,” Homa said. “I would say other than Tiger and I don’t even know, he’s the most consistent player I’ve seen.
“I’ve known him since college and he’s been like this since then: No. 1 amateur in the world, No. 1 player in the world, all the accolades.
“I wanted to make him beat me and I think I did that.”
Rahm said: “It was a tough week and a tough Sunday. I’m just glad I could come through at the end.”
He last held the No. 1 ranking in March 2022 and supplanted Scottie Scheffler just a week after the American toppled Rory McIlroy with a victory at the Phoenix Open. REUTERS, AFP
