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Going into the final round of The American Express (opens in new tab), it seemed that we were destined for a straight out battle between the world’s most in form player, Jon Rahm, and PGA Tour rookie, Davis Thompson.
However, during the final day’s play on Sunday, we saw a number of players making huge moves in California, with scores of 62, 63 and 64 appearing to be the norm over the final 18 holes.
Players like Xander Schauffele (who made an albatross at the fifth hole (opens in new tab) in his final round), Chris Kirk and Taylor Montgomery had made massive moves on the final day but, eventually, it came down to the overnight leaders to battle it out for victory.
With both Rahm and Thompson sat on 26-under through 11 holes, it would come down to the final stretch to crown our eventual winner. Certainly, as the holes passed by, it looked like it wasn’t going to be Rahm’s day, with a number of putts lipping out and burning the edge. For the Spaniard though, who had been 50-under-par through his last seven rounds (opens in new tab), he caught his big break on the par 5 16th.
As Davis found trouble and was forced to play out from a bunker, Rahm was having a go at the green. A clean strike followed, but the ball was heading left and towards the infamous 18-foot drop that guards the green. Somehow though, his ball kicked forward and, maximising on the fortunate bounce, the Spaniard carded a birdie to move one shot clear with two holes remaining.
Thompson reacts after his putt agonisingly misses on the 71st hole
(Image credit: Getty Images)
With Rahm clear, it was Thompson’s turn for the putter to backfire, with a lengthy birdie putt at the 17th looking for all the world that it would drop in the middle of the hole. Amazingly, it would hit the pin and somehow not fall, causing Thompson to drop his putter in disbelief.
Rahm (opens in new tab) now had the chance to extend the lead to two going down the last but, once again, he saw his putt brush the hole and miraculously not drop! The lead stayed at one and, after Thompson put his approach long on the 18th, a safe second shot all but guaranteed a fourth title in six worldwide starts for Rahm.
As his birdie putt slid by, again, Rahm tapped in for a second American Express title and back-to-back PGA Tour wins and a run which has seen him claim nine top eight finishes in his last 10 starts.
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