He did not get the victory, but Jon Rahm cannot be blamed for his performance at dawn this Sunday at Torrey Pines. The Basque started in the final round of Farmers Insurance with -13, one shot behind the American Will Zalatoris and the Australian Jason Day. He aspired to add a new chapter in his idyll with the San Diego track (USA), in which he already won this same tournament back in 2017, his first victory as a professional, and the US Open last year, his debut in the majors. After a disappointing start to the round, he tried to storm the top of the table by land, sea and air, in an exercise of faith and precision that portrays a golfer made to travel through the highest spheres of this sport. Despite this, this time glory eluded him, which went to Luke List after a playoff hole.
Two Rahmbo bogeys at 1 and 5 invited pessimism. But it is always daring to dismount a thoroughbred like him from the fight so soon and he ended up proving it. The reaction came with a sequence of three birdies between the seventh and ninth. Suddenly he was back one behind the head, which was boosted by an inspired List, the best card of the day (-6) among those who were in the ointment. The one from Seattle, a player without victories on the circuit until now, went to the clubhouse with -15. A bar that Zalatoris held and that ended up being too much for Day, shrouded by two bogeys in the last two segments. Even so, the 2015 PGA Championship champion, plagued by injuries in recent times, left a magical eagle on the 14th and the feeling that he is back on his feet.
Returning to Jon, that rush in the final stretch of the first half of the field did not have continuity in the first bars of the second. More than anything else, he saved pairs, without clear birdie options, and on minute 15 he took a direct punch to the chin. His second shot punctured a bunker and the shot went to the edge of the green. Bogey. That seemed to bury all his options, but he still reserved one last bugle blast. After the par of 16 he lit the fireworks with a monstrous putt for birdie on 17. He holed it from eight meters and got to one of the head. Being the 18 a par 5, the possibility of equaling Zalatoris and List took shape. His exit, however, found sand on the right of the street. He placed the ball well on the second shot and on the third he hit a very good iron but with a treacherous effect that left it five meters from the hole. There was no second miracle in a row, although it was clear that Torrey Pines is a design in which Rahm, finally third with -14, can still collect more good memories. Also on Monday, it should not be forgotten, he will begin his 36th week as number one in the world.
For his part, List, who last year accumulated up to five top-10s without a prize and faces his 15th professional season, this time he was surgical in the tiebreaker. He left a tender image, embracing his wife and children, after fastening the triumph that cleans the dust of his record in the elite. Instead Zalatoris, the sensation of the Masters last year, when he finished second in his first appearance, will remain a bitter memory of the day, as he let slip a very feasible putt to win in the 18th. Be that as it may, it seems only a matter of time, and not too long, before the blond Californian joins his executioner in the PGA winner’s circle.
Check here the complete classification of Farmers Insurance.