European Tour Rookie of the Year Jon Rahm took full advantage of the slip-ups behind him to win the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai on Sunday, writes WADE PRETORIUS.
The day began as a straight battle between the final pairing of Justin Rose and South Africa’s Dylan Frittelli, but ended with Rahm moving past them as he found full control of his game. The Spaniard added his second Rolex Series event when he got to -19 and stayed there despite only a par at the last.
Rose made the turn in four-under-par with no bogeys as he stormed to a commanding lead, with Frittelli the only man in the field to hold on. The South African saved par on the first before birdies at the second and third got him going. He eagled the seventh to tie Rose at the top as he moved to -5 for his round.
An eagle on 7 thanks to a great approach and a solid putt #DPWTC pic.twitter.com/yg25wB5HWu
— Compleat Golfer (@CompleatGolfer) November 19, 2017
His progress was halted with a five on the eighth and he then dropped another on the 12th as he and Rose began to falter. The Englishman, embroiled in a struggle with Tommy Fleetwood for the Race to Dubai title, bogeyed the 12th before finding the water on the 14th, which saw him drop out of the lead, with Rahm finding a new gear behind him.
A moment (of madness) ago… #DPWTC pic.twitter.com/R0qHT4vpG6
— Compleat Golfer (@CompleatGolfer) November 19, 2017
Rose and Frittelli were bunkered off the 16th tee, and while Frittelli got up and down for par, Rose’s putter went cold on him as he dropped out of contention for the title and let Fleetwood back in the overall race.
Frittelli then failed to take advantage of Rahm’s failure to birdie the last with a three-putt bogey on 17, which meant he needed an eagle on the last to tie Rahm at -19 with the wind now picking up.
The title was decided on the tee as Frittelli found the stream that runs up the middle of the fairway. The 27-year-old managed to save par as he finished alongside Dean Burmester, who also found the water on 18, in fourth at -17.
Rahm’s win, powered by a flawless 67 with three birdies on the back nine, caps a magic year for the 23-year-old as he takes home the €1 175 051 first prize to go with the title of Rookie of the Year.
He’s done it.
Jon Rahm wins the @DPWTC ? pic.twitter.com/g6tQKWrc5C
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) November 19, 2017
The final putt was left to Justin Rose, who birdied the last to finish in the pack two behind Rahm, but it was not enough to displace Fleetwood at the top of the Race to Dubai.
Photo: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images
