Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

Tony Finau holds off Jon Rahm at Mexico Open for fourth Tour win in last 18 starts

Written by 
Published in Golf
Sunday, 30 April 2023 11:35

VALLARTA, Mexico — Tony Finau never gave Masters champion Jon Rahm or anyone else much of a chance Sunday, closing with a bogey-free round of 5-under 66 that gave him a three-shot victory in the Mexico Open.

Finau earned a small measure of redemption at Vallarta Vidanta, where last year he finished runner-up to Rahm by one shot. Finau took a two-shot lead into the final round and was never seriously challenged on the back nine.

“Rahmbo is the best. I knew I was going to have my hands full to the end,” said Finau, who finished at 24-under 260.

Turns out Rahm wasn’t his biggest threat.

Brandon Wu, also a runner-up last year, holed a 45-foot eagle putt on the par-5 sixth hole and made a short birdie on the next hole to briefly tie for the lead. Finau answered with a birdie on the seventh, and then Wu fell back with a bogey from the bunker on No. 8 and a tee shot into the water on the 10th that led to double bogey.

“Just a few too many loose swings,” Wu said after a 68 to finish third. “Satisfied with how I went today. I’m glad I gave myself a chance through nine holes.”

Rahm closed with a 67 and certainly had his chances. He was three behind Finau at the turn, but failed to birdie two of the par 5s with a poor drive on the 12th and a poor approach on the 14th that kept him from reasonable birdie chances.

“It was a day where I didn’t do much wrong, but I didn’t do much right, either,” he said.

The Spaniard’s last hope was on the 16th hole. Finau hit his approach into the bunker and Rahm hit a 7-iron into the same bunker. Both made par, and at that point, Rahm simply ran out of holes.

“I feel like if I hit that second shot on 16 on the green and give myself a real look at birdie, Tony’s up-and-down gets significantly more difficult,” Rahm said.

Akshay Bhatia, the 21-year-old who has special temporary membership, faded to a 70 and finished fourth.

Finau now has two victories this season — his other was in the Houston Open last fall — to join Rahm, Scottie Scheffler and Max Homa as the only multiple winners on tour this season. He now has four PGA Tour titles in the last nine months.

Finau’s sixth career PGA Tour victory was worth $1,386,000. He also moved to No. 11 in the world.

Finau did his best work on the front nine. He left a bunker shot in the sand on the sixth hole and managed to get up-and-down for par. On the eighth hole, another bunker shot from a tough lie didn’t quite reach the green, and he holed a 15-foot putt from the fringe for par.

Rahm was playing for the second time in three weeks since winning the Masters. He is skipping the Wells Fargo Championship — his one opt-out from elevated events with a $20 million purse — and will have a two-week break going into the PGA Championship.

Finau, who went more than five years between his first and second wins on the PGA Tour, now has multiple wins in back-to-back seasons.

“Obviously I wanted to win, but it’s a reminder that everybody out here is a great player,” Rahm said. “Tony came out with a two-shot lead and played fantastic golf. I feel like had I been able to pressure him a little more, we would have seen more birdies from Tony.”

Read 75 times

Soccer

Araújo ignores Gündogan criticism after red card

Araújo ignores Gündogan criticism after red card

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsBarcelona defender Ronald Araújo has declined to respond to teammat...

FA Cup replays to be scrapped from next season

FA Cup replays to be scrapped from next season

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsFA Cup replays will be scrapped from the first round next season as...

Schweinsteiger explains Utd exile under Mourinho

Schweinsteiger explains Utd exile under Mourinho

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsBastian Schweinsteiger has said José Mourinho banned him from the f...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

Sources: Butler expected to miss several weeks

Sources: Butler expected to miss several weeks

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMiami Heat star Jimmy Butler is expected to be sidelined several we...

Sources: Heat's Butler feared to have MCL injury

Sources: Heat's Butler feared to have MCL injury

EmailPrintPHILADELPHIA -- The Heat fear guard Jimmy Butler sustained a possible MCL injury to his ri...

Baseball

How new Yankees have brought the 'Dawgs' out

How new Yankees have brought the 'Dawgs' out

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNEW YORK -- Alex Verdugo thoroughly enjoyed his first home run in p...

Injury-plagued Red Sox put Whitlock on IL

Injury-plagued Red Sox put Whitlock on IL

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsBOSTON -- Garrett Whitlock was placed on the 15-day injured list We...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated