JON RAHM DRAINED a swinging 60-foot birdie putt at the first playoff hole Sunday to win the US PGA Tour BMW Championship over world number one Dustin Johnson.
Spain’s Rahm, ranked second in the world behind Johnson, was in the right rough off the tee at the first playoff hole, the 18th at Olympia Fields near Chicago.
His second shot rolled to the back of the green, leaving him what could have been a tough two-putt for par.
INCREDIBLE. 😱@DJohnsonPGA with a MUST-MAKE putt to force a playoff @BMWChamps.
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 30, 2020
Never. A. Doubt.#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/u7ag0XNBDS
“Never did I think I’d be making another 50-, 60-footer — couple of breaks in there, too — to end up winning it,” said Rahm, who gave a roaring fist pump as the putt dropped.
Johnson’s tee shot was also off course, but ricocheted off a tree to settle in the fairway. The American found the middle of the green, but after Rahm’s miraculous birdie effort, Johnson’s birdie attempt settled inches from the cup.
Johnson had snaked in a 43-foot birdie at the same hole to force the playoff, joining Rahm on four-under par 276 in the second event of the US tour’s FedEx Cup playoffs.
66 FEET for the WIN! 🏆
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 30, 2020
UNBELIEVABLE putt from @JonRahmPGA to claim @BMWChamps in a playoff! #QuickHits pic.twitter.com/DktJRjZLoj
Rahm had powered to the top of the leaderboard with six birdies in an impressive six-under par 64 — the lowest round of the week.
Johnson, seeking a second straight win and 23rd tour title, started the day tied for the lead with Hideki Matsuyama with Rahm three adrift.
He birdied three of his first four holes, but bogeys at eight and 10 saw him fall out of the lead before he picked up strokes at 15 and 18 to sign for a three-under 67.
Johnson’s solo second place means he’ll stay atop the rankings.
Rahm was tied for sixth starting the day after a third round marred by a bad mistake at the fifth hole, where he absentmindedly picked up his ball on the green without marking it and was assessed a penalty.
- ‘striping it’ -
He said it wasn’t hard to put the blunder behind him.
“Once I teed off today, in the good weather and how I started striping it the first few holes, I knew I had a chance,” said Rahm, who claimed his fifth tour title and his second in his last five starts.
Rahm had two birdies on the front side, but picked up the pace with a 16-foot birdie putt at the 10th. He followed that with a five-foot birdie at the 12th and a nine-footer at 15 before he rolled in a 30-foot birdie at 16.
He wasn’t surprised, however, to find himself in a playoff, and went straight to the range to keep warm with Johnson still on the course and just one back.
“Knowing DJ and how good he has been playing, I expected nothing else,” Rahm said.
Rising Chilean star Joaquin Niemann got off to a hot start with three birdies in his first five holes. A birdie at the eighth gave him a share of the lead, but he slowed with a bogey at 14 and finished with a 67 that left him tied for third on 278 alongside Matsuyama, who signed for a 69.
American Tony Finau was alone in fifth after a 65 for 279. Rory McIlroy finished tied for 12th on +3.
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
When a national team is playing the national broadcaster should be just allowed show the match without having to fight for the rights and/or pay out millions.
@Jason Ebbs: a scam to try and get an increase in the tv licence RTE and its licence fee is of another age shut it down a complete con
@Richard Russell: not that I’m justifying it, but there has not been licence increase since 2008. Plus it’s not going to increase this year because if there is an increase it happens in the budget.
@Jason Ebbs: they are showing it – this article is incorrect
What’s the point of a national broadcaster if they can’t show their national teams of major sporting events?
Telly bingo will be next !
Sky’s coverage is way better. End of
@Keith ☘️: it’s a no brainer with dodgy box readily available
@Keith ☘️: Sky sucks!
@Keith ☘️: that not the point and I’m not sure it’s true anyway. The point is the national broadcaster should show national games particularly ones of such importantance so everyone has the opportunity to watch it.
First the 6 nations now this…just scrap the place!!! Money pit!!!
Oh oh
They will asking for an higher licence fee.
Is anybody else going off the boys in green….I’m not even that bothered if we qualify
Probably be humiliated in the finals playing ape_man football…
Lads, what’s the problem? Find a cafe, use the wiki, and go onto the sky channel on Mobdro. Either way, it’s free.
@Conor Alexander Lynott: a cafe? To watch the game? I’d say you are a bundle of laughs
@Conor Alexander Lynott: Nothing like watching the match in Starbucks, the atmosphere is electric.
@Conor Alexander Lynott: besides going to a cafe to watch a game, mobdro is as useful as a waterproof teabag.
@Eric Gaffney: that got a good laugh out of me.
@Mel Roberts: A big group. big scree with Chromecast, pizza and a load of chocolate fudge cake and soft fizzy drinks, mot to mention coffee
for afterwards?I would have thought it would have been great craic with all the caffeine floating around, but each to their own All possible with a little negotiation beforehand. Gotta think outside the box, Rob.
@King B Probably useless for you because you have an Iphone. Works just fine on android
@Conor Alexander Lynott: aye sounds fun alright if you are a 14 year old girl!
@Mel Roberts: I’ll make sure Guiness include that line in their Guiness Clear ad. Nice innovation, son.
@Conor Alexander Lynott: is Friday, Friday gotta get down on Friday.
I am beginning to hate sports and sky. Fcuk you sky
€160 a year for a TV license means isn’t free to air for the viewer.
They have €50million to play with. They don’t have to do much fighting.
This article is incorrect – RTE will be showing the playoffs & the Slovakia gamme
Remember me da sayin in the late 90’s..” bbc show no England football anymore sky have the lot it’s a disgrace Ireland would never let that happen to Irish games” I replied “If sky buy the rights they’ll lose them” His reply. “no chance ever” Ok then…
Genius. Pay a fortune for matches that will probably be called off.