Jon Rahm wins Irish Open with final round 62
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Jon Rahm fired an impressive final round 62 to win the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open by two shots
Jon Rahm claimed his second Irish Open title in just three years on Sunday at Lahinch Golf Club with a final round 62 to get to 16-under-par.
Following on from his success in 2017 at Portstewart, the Spaniard carded eight birdies and an eagle to earn his fourth European Tour title – becoming the first player to win three Rolex Series events.
“I love this tournament,” he said. “I love this country. I love the people and feel like I’m at home every time I come.
“I’m excited to repeat. I think Seve was the only Spanish player to win more than one and to join my name to that Cup again, it’s special. It’s probably one of my favourite trophies that I have at home and to have another one, it’s definitely a special moment.
“The list of winners, Faldo, McIlroy, Olazábal, Seve, the champions at this event, and to put my name on there is really special.
Rahm began the day five shots behind overnight leader Robert Rock but after a five-under front-nine of 31 and an eagle on the 12th, he quickly moved to within a single shot.
A mistake with his wedge on the 13th saw him drop a shot but he quickly recovered with back-to-back birdies from the 14th, while the pace Rafa Cabrera Bello had set early on with a blistering start of his own began to falter.
Cabrera Bello had reached 15-under-par by his fifth hole but a two-over back nine left him in a tie for fourth with Eddie Pepperell and Robert Rock, who made just one birdie and one bogey on his back nine to end up three shots behind.
Both Andy Sullivan and Bernd Wiesberger birdied the final hole to get to 14-under, and Rahm matched that feat, rolling in his eighth birdie of the day from 10 feet to get to 16-under and distance himself from the rest of the field.
“I knew I had to do it today to have a chance, and man, I kept looking at the leaderboard and looking up, and after 10, I’m like, okay, let’s get a good run and that eagle on 12 just completely got me going. Even though I had the little mistake on 13, I just knew that my target number was 15-under. I knew 15-under was going to have a strong chance.
“Never thought I was going to shoot 16-under birdieing 18. Definitely thrilled with the back nine I had. Me and Adam did a lot of work over the weekend to polish the mistakes over the first few days. Excited to repeat. I think Seve was the only Spanish player to win more than one and to join my name to that Cup again, it’s special. It’s probably one of my favorite trophies that I have at home, and to have another one, it’s definitely special, a special moment. I don’t know how to explain it.”
The victory means that Rahm, 24, now moves to the top of the Race to Dubai Rankings Presented by Rolex and also takes him back into the top ten on the Official World Golf Ranking.
