Jon Rahm overturns five-shot deficit to win Irish Open for second time in three years: 'I knew I had to do something amazing today'
Jon Rahm finished two shots clear of Andy Sullivan and Bernd Wiesberger
Rahm posted a brilliant final round of 62 to win second title in three years
He fired an eagle, eight birdies and two bogeys to finish 16 under par on Sunday
By Derek Lawrenson for the Daily Mail
Paul McGinley picked out Jon Rahm at the start of the season to be the golfer of the year. Perhaps he meant champion golfer of the year.
Certainly, the prodigiously gifted Spaniard will move on to the Open next week as one of the favourites after demolishing the fabled links of Lahinch with wondrous weekend scores of 64 and 62 to claim his second Irish Open in three years.
What price him living up to that old cliche about good things coming in threes and claiming a hat-trick of titles in the Emerald Isle at Royal Portrush?
Jon Rahm claimed his second Irish Open title in three years after a great final round on Sunday
Rahm poses with the Irish Open trophy after finishing two shots clear of the chasing pack
Rahm fired an eagle, eight birdies and two bogeys during a final round of 62 at Lahinch
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1) Jon Rahm: 16 under par
T2) Bernd Wiesberger: 14 under
T2) Andy Sullivan: 14 under
T4) Rafa Cabrera-Bello: 13 under
T4) Robert Rock: 13 under
T4) Eddie Pepperell: 13 under
T7) Paul Waring: 12 under
T7) Jorge Campillo: 12 under
Watching his scarcely believable weekend total of 126 — the par was 140 — was tournament host McGinley, who got the perfect winner at the end of another memorable Irish Open, in which the decision to take the tournament to a remote part of this passionate golfing nation was vindicated spectacularly.
Rahm, just 24, had four birdies and an eagle on the back nine to beat Englishman Andy Sullivan and Austrian Bernd Wiesberger by two shots. His name had been engraved on the Waterford Trophy before the third-round leader, Robert Rock, made it to the 18th green.
Andy Sullivan and Bernd Wiesberger finished two shots behind Rahm on Sunday afternoon
Left to right: Robert Rock, Wiesberger and Paul Waring all secured a place at this year's Open
There was no disgrace in Rock succumbing to such a barrage. He'd shot 60 in the third round and even the greats often struggle for an encore following such feats, let alone a 42-year-old languishing in 147th place in the Race to Dubai and better known these days as compatriot Matt Wallace's coach.
Rock struggled manfully to a 70 for tied fourth place — with Eddie Pepperell and Rafael Cabrera-Bello — that did bring the considerable compensation of one of three spots on offer into the Open for the leading players not already exempt. The others went to fellow Englishman Paul Waring and Wiesberger.
'It's a feeling of mixed emotions,' said Rock. 'On the one hand, I don't know how many more Opens I'll have the chance to play in, so to make it this year is fantastic. But I won't have that many chances to win again either, so to fall short is disappointing. After my 60, I just ran out of putts.'
Waring said: 'I played in the Irish Open at Portrush in 2012 (when he finished 10th) and I've never seen anything like it. To be playing in the Open there is going to be spectacular.'
Spectators watch on as Irish Open champion Rahm lines up a putt on the 18th green
It was just off the County Clare coastline that the Spanish Armada lost a number of ships in 1588. Here, one of their golfing fleet, Cabrera-Bello, sank without trace. He was three strokes clear with nine holes to play as he looked to navigate his way clear of his compatriot. But he's always had problems closing out tournaments, and here he lost his bearings to succumb to the pressure once more, with a dismal run of four bogeys in six holes.
Rahm needed no second invitation, sailing past his countryman with a back nine that could hardly have offered a greater contrast.
Runner-up in Spain last week for his 10th top 10 of the season, he's building up quite a head of steam heading to Portrush, just down the road from Portstewart, where he won the Irish Open two years ago. 'I said before the start of the event that I feel at home playing in Ireland and it really helped when the crowd got crazy on the back nine,' he said.
'Seve is the only other Spaniard to win this title more than once (three times) so to keep pace with him is special. Now, for me, it's all about keeping my good golf going in Ireland.'
Jon Rahm overturns five-shot deficit to win Irish Open for second time in three years
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