Jon Rahm Outlasts Competition to Win Mexico Open

Jon Rahm has returned to the winner circle…

After a stressful final two hours of competition, the 27-year-old Spanish professional golfer held on to win the Mexico Open and claim his first victory since the U.S. Open last summer.

Jon RahmRahm rolled in a 12-foot birdie putt on the par-5 14th hole to pull out of a four-way tie for the lead, and he had to make two tough pars and a finish more nervy than he expected.

The relief and satisfaction was evident when he tapped in for par on the final hole at Vidanta Vallarta for a one-shot victory. He pumped his arm and then pounded his fist downward, and at one point he looked skyward and exhaled.

“Today was a battle,” Rahm said. “But I got it done.”

Tony Finau and Brandon Wu each closed with a 63, while Kurt Kitayama birdied the final hole from a back bunker for a 68. They tied for second.

Rahm had a couple of close calls in Mexico City when it was a World Golf Championship at Chapultepec. Now the Mexico Open, which has a history dating to 1944, is a regular PGA Tour event for the first time. And it got a popular winner.

Against one of the weaker fields of the year — Rahm at No. 2 was the only player from the top 15 in the world — the Spanish golfer was a heavy favorite and played that way from his opening 64.

“I like to think every time I tee it up I’m a favorite. I play to win,” Rahm said. “Fortunately, I got my seventh PGA Tour win. It was a pretty stressful weekend, all the way to the end.”

Staked to a two-shot lead going into the final round, he never trailed. But it was never easy.

Rahm had a one-shot lead after his lone bogey of the round on the tough par-4 10th.

Well ahead of him, Wu holed a 25-foot birdie putt on the 16th hole to join him at 16 under. Kitayama, playing in the final group with Rahm, got up and down from right of the green on the par-5 12th to tie. And then Finau went birdie-eagle-birdie to get in the mix and capped off his 63 with a birdie to make it a four-way tie.

“I really wanted to put together a nice week and I was able to do that this week and gave myself a chance to do something special right at the end,” Finau. “Making a 3 on 18 probably would have been a big deal, but making that putt for birdie, a lot of confidence builders on a day like today, and I’ll carry that with me the rest of the season.”

Rahm never lost his patience. His chip left of the green on the par-5 14th raced 12 feet by the hole, but he hit his best putt of the round and made it for birdie for a one-shot lead.

His wedge to the 15th came up short, and his chip ran 5 by the hole. He made that to stay in front and then had to two-putt from 50 feet on the 16th for his par. Rahm missed a 10-foot birdie putt on the 17th that would have given him room for error.

Still, the closing par 5 at Vidanta Vallarta is easily reachable, and Rahm birdied it the three previous times. This time, his fade stayed straight and instead of dropping into the bunker, it nestled in deep rough on a steep slope just above the sand. He did well to punch that out just over a waste area and into the fairway.

His approach to a back pin just trickled off the green, and he navigated the slick putt perfectly to a few inches. Instead of waiting for Kitayama and Cameron Champ to finish, Rahm quickly stepped in and closed the deal.

“I didn’t think a par 5 that requires a fade that I’d be stressing this much,” Rahm said. “It wasn’t my best putting weekend, but I stayed aggressive. I was confident in what I was doing. I have faith in every part of my game, and it showed.”

Champ, who like Kitayama started the final round two shots behind, took himself out of the mix with a triple bogey on the par-4 eighth hole. He never recovered, shot 70 and finished three shots behind in a tie for sixth.

Rahm has 14 victories worldwide. He had gone 17 starts without winning, matching the longest such streak in his career. The victory moves him a little closer to Scottie Scheffler in his bid to reclaim the No. 1 ranking, and he’ll have another opportunity at the PGA Championship in three weeks.

Rahm has at least one victory in six full years as a pro.

Juan Martin del Potro Wins Mexico Open

It’s Blackjack for Juan Martin del Potro

The 29-year-old Argentinian tennis player won the Mexico Open on Saturday night for his 21st ATP Tour title, beating Kevin Anderson 6-4, 6-4 to improve to 7-0 against the 6-foot-8 South African.

Juan Martin del Potro

del Potro was projected to switch spots with Anderson in the world ranking, with del Potro going from ninth to eighth. He beat three straight players ranked ahead of him in the hard-court event, topping No. 6 Dominic Thiem in the quarterfinals and No. 5 Alexander Zverev in the semifinals.

“It’s a very special tournament to me,” said del Potro, the 2009 U.S. Open champion. “I beat three top-10 guys in the same tournament, which is very important for myself. I’m so glad to win my 21st title playing in Acapulco.”

Potro won for the first time since successfully defending his Stockholm title last year.

“He’s a very dangerous guy,” del Potro said about Anderson. “His serves are so strong, but I got lucky in the important moments of my return games. I broke just twice and that was the key of the match.”

Anderson tweaked his left leg on del Potro’s lob and received treatment at 1-1 in the second.

“It was a little bit uncomfortable at first,” Anderson said. “I think in the bigger picture of things it didn’t really affect things too much,” Anderson said. “I think Juan Martin played really well. He’s obviously a tough competitor and a great player. I just needed to do a little bit more today.”

He won the New York Open two weeks ago for his fourth career title.

“I can take a lot of confidence going into Indian Wells and Miami, two tournaments I really enjoy playing. I feel like I’m playing really good tennis,” Anderson said. “As always, I’ll pick myself up. I’ll try to learn as much as I can from tonight’s match.”

Ferrer Defeats Kei Nishikori to Claim His Fourth Mexico Open Title

David Ferrer is El Rey in Mexico…

The 32-year-old Spanish tennis player won his fourth Mexico Open title over the weekend, beating top-seeded Kei Nishikori of Japan 6-3, 7-5 in the hard-court event.

David Ferrer

It’s the third title for Ferrer in 2015. He previously won in Doha in January and in Rio de Janeiro earlier in February.

He won his previous Mexico titles — in 2010, 2011 and 2012 — on clay.

“Tonight I played my best match this week,” said Ferrer. “For sure. I played very aggressive, without mistakes. I’m very happy. To win here a fourth time is a dream.

“I tried to play my forehand to his forehand and with more energy. In important moments, he made more mistakes and I took my chances. I feel very confident with my tennis now. I’ve won three tournaments this year and we’ve only began the season.”

As champion, the 24-time ATP World Tour titlist received $343,000 in prize money and 500 Emirates ATP Ranking points.

Nishikori won in Memphis, Tennessee, two weeks ago for his eighth tour title. He lost to Marin Cilic last year in the U.S. Open final.