Rahm ends 10-month drought in Mexico; Arnaus breaks duck
Jon Rahm
SPAIN'S Jon Rahm ended his 10-month winless streak with a wire-to-wire victory in the Mexico Open at Vidanta.
The big Basque (27) has struggled to get over the line since he won the US Open at Torrey Pines last June with his putter ice cold.
But after taking a two-shot lead into the final round, he needed his putting to save him as he followed birdies at the sixth and seventh with a bogey at the 10th to find himself in a four-way tie at the top.
Brandon Wu and Tony Finau shot eight-under 63s to set the target at 16-under before Rahm holed a curling 11 footer for birdie at the 14th to edge clear, eventually carding a two-under 69 to win his seventh PGA TOUR title and his 13th worldwide by a shot on 17-under.
After scrambling to make the cut, Graeme McDowell was pleased to closing with a three-under 68 to finish tied 33rd on seven-under.
It was day for double celebration for Spain as Adri Arnaus claimed his maiden win when he beat South Africa's Oliver Bekker at the sixth extra hole to claim the Catalunya Championship at PGA Catalunya’s Stadium Course.
Seven shots off the lead overnight, the Catalan star (27) set the target at 11-under with a closing 65, turning in 34 before roaring home in 31 with the help of an eagle at the 12th.
Bekker signed for a 72 to set up a playoff but while they parred the 18th five times, Arnaus claimed victory when he hit a seven-iron to six feet at the 17th and watched Bekker fail to get up and down for par.
"It's a dream come true," said Arnaus, who picked up €322,614 after losing twice in playoffs in the last seven months.
Jonathan Caldwell finished 71st on six-over after a brace of weekend 75s but there was better news on the Ladies European Tour where Olivia Mehaffey closed with a 73 to tie for 20th on one-over in the Women's NSW Open in Brisbane.
Sweden’s Maja Stark shot 70 to win by five shots from compatriot Johanna Gustavsson on 15-under and claim her third LET win in eight months.
On the LPGA Tour, Stephanie Meadow closed with a two-over 73 to finish tied 26th in the Palos Verdes Championship in California.
She finished on two-under-par, 12 strokes behind Marina Alex who shot a final round 66 to edge out world No 1 Jin Young Ko by a shot on 10-under.
Meghan Kang and Lydia Ko tied for third on eight-under as overnight leader Hannah Green of Australian shot 72 to tie for fifth on three-under.
In the Insperity Invitational on the PGA Tour Champions, Steven Alker shot 66 to win by four shots from Brandt Jobe and Steve Stricker on 18-under par.
Pádraig Harrington was tied 25th on four-under after rounds of 72, 70 and 70.
