Jon Rahm & Legion XIII Outlast Bryson DeChambeau & Crushers to Claim LIV Golf League Team Final

Jon Rahm is celebrating a team victory…

The 30-year-old Spanish professional golfer and Legion XIII outlasted Bryson DeChambeau and the Crushers in a playoff on Sunday in the LIV Golf League team final.

Legion XIII rallied to match the Crushers at 20 under at The Cardinal at Saint John’s, with the Stinger squad from South Africa well back at 12 under in the three-team final.

Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton each birdied the final two holes of regulation, then ended the playoff with a pair of birdies on the second extra hole against DeChambeau and Paul Casey. Rahm made a 6-footer and Hatton had a short putt for the deciding birdies.

“Tyrrell and I got it going a little late, but better late than never,” Rahm said. “When it came to the playoff, I felt fairly confident we’re both really good wedge players, and if we just put it in the fairway, I was fairly confident we were going to give ourselves a lot of chances.”

Former Tennessee player Caleb Surratt led Legion XIII with a 64.

“It’s been a wild ride,” Surratt said. “I’m thankful to Jon trusting me enough to have me on his team last year, and I’m very proud of the player I’ve started to become.”

Rahm and Tom McKibbin each shot 65, and Hatton had a 66.

“Neither Tyrrell or I were having a great day today, and even during the whole week, I don’t think we played our best,” Rahm said. “But the young guys kind of were a beacon of strength playing good and out there today as well. They carried us all the way to the end.”

DeChambeau shot 62.

“He played incredible golf,” Rahm said about DeChambeau. “He played unbelievable. His driver was on an absolute roll, and he had the putter going.”

Casey and Anirban Lahiri had 65s, and Charles Howell III closed with a 68. Howell birdied five of the first seven, then dropped three strokes.

Rahm helped Legion III take the team event a week after successfully defending his LIV season points title in Indiana, a tournament where he closed with a 60 before losing a playoff to Sebastián Muñoz.

Jon Rahm Wins PGA of America’s Points-Based Player of the Year Award

Jon Rahm is celebrating a points-tastic honor…

 The 26-year-old Spanish professional golfer has won the points-based player of the year award from the PGA of America, and it was a birdie putt on the 18th hole at the Tour Championship in East Lake that made all the difference.

Jon Rahm

Rahm finished with 75 points, with Bryson DeChambeau coming in second at 70 points.

Rahm received 30 points for his U.S. Open title this summer, along with 20 points for leading the PGA Tour money list and 20 points for winning the Vardon Trophy for the lowest adjusted scoring average.

And although Rahm was runner-up to Patrick Cantlay in the Tour Championship, the PGA of America recognizes the actual score at East Lake. Cantlay started with a 2-shot lead at 10 under par because he was the No. 1 seed. Rahm started 4 shots behind as the No. 4 seed.

For the week, Rahm and Kevin Na finished at 14-under 266. That means they split the 10 points awarded for a regular PGA Tour win.

DeChambeau had 30 points for his U.S. Open win last September, 10 points for winning at Bay Hill, 14 points for being fourth in scoring average and 16 points for being third on the money list.

On the par-5 18th at the Tour Championship, Rahm hit a 5-iron that just ran through the back of the green. He needed to chip in to have any chance of forcing a playoff against Cantlay, who hit 6-iron to 12 feet. Rahm’s chip narrowly missed, leaving a short birdie putt.

That allowed him to tie Na at 14 under, giving him the five points that put him atop the points standing for the PGA of America award.

The PGA Tour award for player of the year is a vote of the membership. The ballot went out Tuesday and included Rahm, Cantlay, DeChambeau, Collin Morikawa and Harris English.

Justin Thomas won the PGA of America award last year, while Dustin Johnson was voted PGA Tour player of the year.

Rahm’s adjusted scoring average was 69.3. Johnson was second at 69.62.