(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Spain's
Jon Rahm birdied the fourth playoff hole to beat Andrew Landry and
capture his second US PGA Tour title at the CareerBuilder Challenge in
California.
Rahm, who became number two yesterday, had five birdies
in his bogey-free five-under 67 on the Stadium Course in La Quinta to
seize the clubhouse lead on 22-under par 266.
But Landry, seeking a
first PGA Tour title, rolled in an 11-foot birdie putt at the 72nd hole
to cap a four-under 68 and force the playoff.
Both players parred the first three playoff holes although each had birdie chances to win.
Rahm
finally broke through when they returned to the 18th for the third time
in the playoff. After finding the fairway at each of the first three
playoff holes he was in the right rough, but still reached the green in
two.
After he rolled in his birdie putt, Landry missed his from a similar distance on the other side of the hole.
'It's
an amazing feeling... to play the way I did and give myself a chance,
said the 23-year-old Rahm, who has four victories worldwide in the past
year.
'Obviously props to Andrew. To birdie 18 from the
right rough, having to birdie it, that's a heck of an accomplishment.
'Either
one of us would have been a deserving champion, added Rahm, who
defends his first PGA Tour title at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey
Pines starting on Thursday.
'I never thought I was going to be at
this point in my life right now, he said, adding that it was 'hard to
believe that he would move past three-time major winner Jordan Spieth
into second place in the world rankings led by American Dustin Johnson.
Rahm, the highest ranked player in the field, opened the week in
impressive style with a 10-under par 62. He couldn't maintain that pace,
and after a third-round 70 was two strokes behind rookie Austin Cook
heading into the final round.
He was tied for the lead at 20-under
after rolling in an 18-foot putt for his third birdie of the day at the
10th, and kept the chasing pack at bay with back-to-back birdies at 13
and 14 that moved him to 22-under.
Par-5 problems
Despite his
impressive ball-striking, Rahm missed opportunities to give himself more
of a cushion. At the par-five 16th he followed up an impressive tee
shot with a second shot that left him short of the green.
His third
shot gave him seven feet for a birdie but he missed that unable to
pick up strokes at any of the Stadium Course's three par-fives. In the
meantime, Landry was putting together a round that included five birdies
and a bogey.
While Cook's bid for a second PGA Tour title was
doomed by a pair of double-bogeys, a string of other players threatened
the lead.
John Huh carded a six-under par 66 to head a group sharing
third on 268 that also included Canadian Adam Hadwin (68) and American
Martin Piller (70).
Kevin Chappell's 67 included four birdies in a
row from the ninth through the 12th and put him on 269, tied with fellow
American Scott Piercy who carded a 70.
Jason Kokrak birdied five
straight holes on the back nine to get to 21-under but closed with a
bogey and a double-bogey in a 69 that saw him tied on 18-under 270 with
Sam Saunders (64) and Brandon Harkins (70).
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