Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

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Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

MANGAN | Jon Rahm Continues to Impress as Standout Performer

Jon Rahm continued his sharp play with a win at The American Express Championship this week, edging out rookie Davis Thompson by one stroke with a final round score of 68. 

Thompson, hailing out of the University of Georgia, has played solid all season, making six of seven cuts since his debut at the Fortinet Championship in September. Rahm came off of a win at the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii, firing a 10-under 63 to edge out Collin Morikawa. With their success at The American Express Championship, the pair will certainly be battling for more silverware for the remainder of the season. 

The American Express Championship has an unusual format, with each player in the 156-man field playing a round on three different courses in the Palm Springs, Calif. area. After the three opening rounds, the top 65 went on to play the final round at the PGA West Stadium Course in La Quinta, Calif.

Rahm and Thompson went back and forth as the expected victor during the match, and they were tied — up until the par-5, 16th hole. 

Thompson pulled his tee shot, forcing a pitch out of the bunker for a par, while Rahm got a lucky bounce on a long iron to just avoid the famously deep-left greenside bunker to finish with a birdie. 

On the island green 17th hole, Thompson hit to 50 feet within the hole, while Rahm hit to inside 20 feet. Thompson hit a perfectly on-line putt, but the ball hit the direct center of the flagstick and popped out 2 feet away. Thompson was visibly upset, dropping his putter in disgust and holding his face in his hands. 

Both golfers found the green in two at the 448-yard 18th hole. With Thompson unable to make a lengthy birdie opportunity, Rahm comfortably two-putted to win his second PGA Tour event this season to remain undefeated so far in 2023. It’s hard to say whether Thompson’s putt on the 17th hole would have dropped with the pin out — but simply having his caddie tend the pin could have led to his first PGA Tour win, almost $600,000 more in earnings and exemptions into this year’s major championships. 

Rahm’s win continues a dominance not seen since Scottie Scheffler’s run early last year. In his last seven worldwide events, Rahm has won four of them, not finishing outside of the top 10 in the others. In that same span, Rahm’s scoring average is a stupendous 66.9, and he is 246 under par overall. Rahm’s game has shown no weakness, and if his putts drop, it is very difficult to name a better player.

Next week is the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in La Jolla, Calif. Rahm is looking very comfortable here, as he tied third last year and tied seventh the year prior, and won the 2021 U.S. Open. Rahm is looking to win three straight PGA Tour starts, a feat that has been accomplished just 18 times in 62 chances since the 1997 season. Tiger Woods accounts for 14 of these and won coming off two straight victories an astonishing 58.3% of the time. 

Rahm is the clear favorite at Torrey, listed at 4-1 odds to win the tournament. Other favorites in the field include Xander Schauffele (12-1), Collin Morikawa (12-1), Tony Finau (12-1) and Justin Thomas (13-1). 

One player to look out for is Taylor Montgomery (26-1), who is off to a blazing start in his rookie season, and since graduating from the Korn Ferry Tour, he has not missed a cut in nine starts and has finished outside of the top 15 just once. Montgomery’s stellar play earned him a solo fifth last week, along with a ninth place finish at the Sanderson Farms Championship and a solo third at the Fortinet Championship earlier this season. 

Another player to watch is Max Homa (22-1). He has grown into one of the game’s stars over the past two seasons, and his play in California indicates he will have a strong week. He had a solid 18th place finish at the Farmers in 2021, and three of his five PGA Tour victories have come in his home state of California, including one earlier this season at the Fortinet. 

The Farmers hosted countless exciting finishes over the past decade, but if Rahm’s performance this week is anything to go by, he seems poised to continue his reign at the top.

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