Page 22 - ARUBA TODAY

A22 sports
Monday 22 January 2018
Jon Rahm outlasts Andrew Landry in CareerBuilder playoff

By JOHN NICHOLSON preme ball-striking on my
AP Sports Writer part today. Especially, on
LA QUINTA, Calif. (AP) — the back nine, I hit the ball
Jon Rahm beat Andrew as good as I can.”
Landry with a 12-foot birdie Rahm started the week
putt on the fourth hole of a with a career-best 62 at La
playoff Sunday in the Ca- Quinta Country Club, shot
reerBuilder Challenge. 67 on Friday on the Nicklaus
In fading light on the Sta- Course and had a 70 at the
dium Course at PGA West, Stadium on Saturday.
Rahm finished off Landry The former Arizona State
for his second PGA Tour title star was second behind
and fourth worldwide vic- Johnson two weeks ago
tory in a year. The 23-year- at Kapalua in his first start
old Spaniard will jump from since winning the European
third to second in the world Tour’s season-ending event
ranking behind Dustin John- in Dubai in November.
son. Rahm will open his Torrey
“It’s hard to believe, to be Pines title defense Thursday
honest, passing Jordan in San Diego. The 30-year-
Spieth, three-time major old Landry had his best
champion,” Rahm said. career PGA Tour finish and
“I only have two wins and third top-three finish of the
he’s got 10-plus, right? I Jon Rahm poses with the trophy after winning the CareerBuilder Challenge golf tournament on the season. “I’ve been playing
never thought I was going Stadium Course at PGA West, Sunday, Jan. 21, 2018, in La Quinta, Calif. Associated Press well all year, had a great
to be at this point in my life season last year and I’m
right now.” line on 18 — four times if you next two times we had the 5s on Sunday, with the Pete rolling it over right into this,
Rahm overcame surprising include the regular play. To exact same yardage, ex- Dye-designed layout play- into the fall and now start-
par-5 problems in regula- be honest, really happy the act same putt right there, ing tougher with many pin ing the year out,” Landry
tion to shoot 5-under 67. way it happened the way it so just hit it a little too firm positions on the edges of said. “Second-place finish,
Landry, playing a group did and really proud of the and tried to take some of greens, after going 13 un- we’ll take it and move on
behind Rahm in the final way I played. I hit a lot of the break out and it actual- der on 12 par 5s in the first next week to Torrey Pines.”
threesome, forced the bad putts today, hit a lot of ly just kind of stayed high.” three rounds with an eagle Adam Hadwin (68), Martin
playoff with an 11-foot edges, but lucky the one I Rahm and Landry each and 11 birdies. Piller (70) and John Huh (66)
birdie putt on the water- needed to make went in.” missed chances to win on “It’s been a fighting day,” tied for third at 20 under,
guarded 18th for a 68. They After Rahm made his birdie the first two extra trips down Rahm said. “I’ve been a and Kevin Chappell (67)
finished at 22-under 266. putt on the fourth play- 18. Rahm’s 9-foot birdie ball-striking clinic most of and Scott Piercy (70) were
“Tournaments like this build off hole, Landry missed an try slid left on the first, and the week and in the play- another stroke back.
character,” Rahm said. 11-footer. Landry’s 8-footer went by off I was just not making the Third-round leader Austin
“I’m just proud of myself “This was a weird pin loca- to the right on the second. putts. I just got fortunate Cook had a 75 to tie for
to hit what’s probably my tion,” Landry said. “I felt like They missed long birdie tries that none of us really made 14th at 16 under.
least favorite club, which is it was hard for those balls on the third extra hole, the any and I was able to make “Ball-striking just kind of dis-
the 3-wood, three times in to break and I read it per- par-4 10th. the one that mattered. But appeared today,” Cook
a row dead center on my fectly the first time and the Rahm parred the four par then again, it was really su- said.q

Fleetwood retains Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship title

ABU DHABI, United Arab Playing two groups ahead said Fleetwood, who is ex-
Emirates (AP) — Tommy of him, Fleetwood had bird- pected to advance from
Fleetwood successfully de- ied the 10th and 12th holes, 18th to 11th in the rankings
fended his Abu Dhabi HSBC but he saved his best golf on Monday.
Championship title on Sun- for the next four holes. On “I had the year of my life last
day after a sensational the 13th, he was stymied year. I know everybody has
back nine to clinch the win. behind a tree but hit his been talking about it, and
The 27-year-old English- second shot from the des- just backing it up is the next
man, who celebrated his ert to six feet. big thing, really. It’s a weird
birthday on Friday, started The top-ranked European feeling coming to defend
the final round two shots then rolled in a 25-feet putt a trophy because it’s yours
behind overnight leaders on the par-3 15th to join and you don’t want to give
Ross Fisher and Thomas Pi- Fisher at 20-under, before it away.”
eters, and an indifferent moving ahead with a 50- Fleetwood added that the
front nine saw him make feet birdie putt on the 16th tough conditions made it
the turn five shots behind hole. He then picked up easier for him to focus.
Fisher as gusty winds hit England’s Tommy Fleetwood tees off on the 2nd hole during the another shot on the 18th, “When the conditions are
the National course of Abu final round of the Abu Dhabi Championship golf tournament in which proved to be a luxury that tough and that windy,
Dhabi Golf Club Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Jan. 21, 2018. cushion when Fisher failed it actually helps you focus
But Fleetwood birdied the Associated Press to make birdies on the 17th on each shot because
10th, 12th, 13th, 15th, 16th start when he made an ea- A bogey on the par-5 10th, and 18th. there’s never any easy
and 18th holes for a seven- gle from 45 feet on the par- which could have easily “I feel a lot more emotion- shots. Two days before,
under par 65 round to finish 5 second hole and added turned into a double if not al, actually, than last year. I with flat calm conditions,
on 22-under 267. two more birdies in his front for a 25-feet bogey putt, don’t know why. I just really it was way easier to look
Fisher, 37, got off to a fast nine. stalled his progress. wanted to win this one,” ahead.”q