Two weeks ago, Jon Rahm was leading the Memorial Tournament by six strokes after three rounds, but was forced to withdraw ahead of Sunday’s final round due to a positive COVID-19 test. A week after that, Rahm announced that he’d recorded two consecutive negative tests and was cleared to prepare for the U.S. Open. And at this week’s U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, he delivered a tremendous showing Sunday to win his first career major. Rahm was tied for sixth through three rounds with a -2, not helped by a third-round 72, but he fired a 67 in the final round (tied for the best score Sunday) to beat Louis Oosthuizen by a single stroke, including a birdie-birdie finish. Here’s that finish:
An absolutely LEGENDARY finish!@JonRahmPGA closes birdie-birdie on 17 and 18 to become the 121st #USOpen champion! pic.twitter.com/pfKmYlIAYe
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 21, 2021
Rahm also started Sunday birdie-birdie and only had one bogey on the day, on the fourth hole. He also birdied the ninth hole, giving him a four-under total on the day and a six-under total for the weekend. And that proved enough to hold off Oosthuizen and give Rahm that first major win.
[The Associated Press; photo from Orlando Ramirez/USA Today Sports]
