Rahm wins Genesis Invitational, returns to No. 1
L OS ANGELES: Jon Rahm used two late birdies to power past Max Homa for a victory in the Genesis Invitational on Sunday (Monday in Manila) that moved the Spaniard back to No. 1 in the world.
Spain’s 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 worldwide starts, 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 capture a win at Riviera Country Club, the classic course west of downtown Los Angeles that has produced such champions as Ben Hogan but where, Rahm noted, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods have never won.
Woods, who hosts this week’s 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 US 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 honor. I can’t really explain it.”
For a while, however, it looked like Rahm might let this one get away.
He started the day with a threeshot lead over Homa and was up by three through eight holes.
Tough Sunday
Homa closed the gap with a birdie at the ninth and 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 par.
Rahm fell a stroke behind with a three-putt bogey at the 12th. But after Homa bogeyed 13, Rahm dropped the hammer, rolling in a 46-foot birdie bomb 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 left him less than three feet.
Homa, a local favorite from nearby Burbank who won the title in 2021, couldn’t find an answer, although he added interest at 18 with a third shot from the left rough that skipped across the cup.
He closed with a three-under par 68 for a 15-under par total of 269 — one stroke in front of American Patrick Cantlay, who was alone in third after a 67 for 270.
American Will Zalatoris carded a seven-under par 64 for 271.
“It was a tough week and a tough Sunday,” Rahm said. “I’m just glad I could come through at the end.”
Rahm, who last held the number one ranking in March of 2022, supplanted Scottie Scheffler just a week after the American toppled Rory McIlroy with a victory at the Phoenix Open.