Jon Rahm turned a potential shootout into a Bahamas breeze Sunday, closing with a seven-under 65 for a four-shot victory in the Hero World Challenge.
Starting the final round in a three-way tie with Tony Finau and Henrik Stenson, Rahm took the lead when Finau made bogey on the par-three eighth hole, and the 24-year-old Spaniard didn’t trail again for the rest of the day at Albany Golf Club.
Finau was the last challenger, until the 14th hole when he went from a sandy area to a bunker and over the green, leading to a double bogey. Rahm made birdie on the hole, and suddenly had a five-shot lead without much trouble to get in the way.
Spain's Jon Rahm watches his shot from the 16th tee during the last round of the Hero World Challenge at Albany Golf Club in Nassau, Bahamas, on Dec. 2, 2018.Dante Carrer/The Associated Press
Rahm ends his year with three victories, just like in 2017, his first full year as a pro.
And in some respects, it was a fitting end.
Even with his individual trophies, no moment for Rahm will top facing Tiger Woods in the Sunday singles at the Ryder Cup and beating him on the 17th hole, putting the first point on the board for Europe that day. And then Rahm ended his year with Woods handing him the trophy from his holiday event.
“That Sunday with Tiger is still the most emotionally, most important moment of my golf career,” Rahm said. “It means so much to play against Tiger. A couple months later, to win his event, it’s really special.”
Even with a runaway victory, there was a small measure of drama on the final hole.
Justin Rose, needing to finish in a three-way tie for second to return to No. 1 in the world, closed with a 65 and was in position to go back to the top of the ranking until Finau rolled in a 10-foot birdie putt for a 69 to finish alone in second.
Brooks Koepka, who did not play this week, remains No. 1. Rose has one more event left in two weeks at the Indonesia Masters.
Finau, meanwhile, cracked the top 10 for the first time in his career, at No. 9.
The tournament host was never in the picture until it was time to present the trophy. Woods got off to another rough start, rallied on the back nine and had to settle for a one-over 73 to finish 17th against the 18-man field.
He finished 19 shots behind, the biggest gap this year from the winner over 72 holes.
“Overall, it was a long week, but one that I hope the players enjoyed,” Woods said.
That starts with Rahm, who previously won the CareerBuilder Challenge on the PGA Tour and the Spanish Open on the European Tour. He fell behind briefly when Finau rolled in a 20-foot birdie putt on the par-three second, only to fall back into a share of the lead when a four-foot par putt lipped out at No. 4.
Rahm took a two-shot lead to the back nine with a 4-hybrid to 12 feet on the par-five ninth that set up a two-putt birdie, and he held his own until Finau’s double bogey. Rahm, making his first trip to the Bahamas for this event, figured out early that the key to scoring at Albany were the five par fives and two reachable par fours. He made birdie on all seven of those holes Sunday.
Stenson was only one shot behind when he made the turn, but the Swede made only one birdie on the back nine and finished alone if fourth. Patrick Cantlay was 12 shots better than Saturday, closing with a 64 to tie for fifth with defending champion Rickie Fowler.