MEXICO CITY – In a battle of the two biggest names in the field, Tony Finau fended off “the best in the world” Jon Rahm on Sunday to win the Mexico Open for his second title of the season.
With his victory, the American also denied the world No. 1 from Spain a second straight title at the relatively new PGA Tour stop at Vidanta Vallarta.
Rahm had fired a third-round 61 to draw within two shots of Finau, but as the two stars contended head-to-head in the final group on Sunday afternoon, Finau’s bogey-free five-under 66 beat Rahm’s 67.
Finau turned in a 24-under 260 for the week, with Rahm taking solo second at 21-under 263.
“(Rahm) is the best. He’s on top of the world right now,” said the champion, who will move up five spots to world No. 11.
“I knew I was gonna have my hands full with him all the way to the end.”
Finau birdied the par-four first hole and the par-three fifth. Rahm responded with his first birdie of the day at the par-five sixth while Finau parred, and both made birdie at the par-four seventh.
It was all pars until Finau scored again at the par-three 11th, sticking his first shot to nine feet of the pin. By then, he was out of reach. Rahm was active late, adding three birdies and a bogey, but he never got close enough.
The Vidanta course is a happy hunting ground for Finau, who ended tied for second behind Rahm in 2022.
That result sparked an upturn in form for the 33-year-old, who went on to win three events in seven starts with victories in Minnesota, Detroit and the Houston Open.
But since that last win in November, he has not been able to add another title until Sunday.
“It’s a great reminder that what you’ve done means absolutely nothing, you still have to go out there and do it,” Masters champion Rahm said.
“Like obviously I wanted to win, but everybody out here is a great player and Tony came out with a two-shot lead and played fantastic golf.
“I feel like had I been able to pressure him a little more, we would have seen more birdies from Tony.”
Sunday marked Finau’s sixth career PGA Tour win, five of them coming in the past 20 months.
“I didn’t know this golf tournament was mine until I just hit this (18th) green here,” he added.
“It’s crazy how this game is. You never think you have a tournament won until it’s over.”
Brandon Wu shot a 68 to take third place at 19 under. Akshay Bhatia (70) was fourth at 18 under, and Eric Cole (66), Austin Smotherman (67) and Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo (65) tied for fifth at 16 under. REUTERS, AFP
