Page 18 - AT

A18 SPORTS
Tuesday 26 November 2019
Continued from Previous Page "Seve is such an idol for all
"I feel like I'm going to start of us," Rahm said about
crying," said Rahm, who Ballesteros, a six-time win-
pushed Tommy Fleetwood ner of the European Tour's
— who also would have be- Order of Merit title. "And
come European No. 1 with so are Sergio (Garcia) and
a win on the Earth Course Olly (Jose Maria Olazabal)
— into second place. and so many of the great
Rahm, who started the final Spanish players. And to
round tied for the lead with think that I'm putting my
Mike Lorenzo-Vera, birdied name there before they do
five of his first seven holes to is hard to believe.
power into a six-stroke lead. "I can't believe some of the
However, Fleetwood — things I've accomplished."
playing one group ahead Fleetwood, who started the
— finished as well as Rahm day four shots off the lead,
had started, tapping in at was eight strokes behind
No. 18 for a fifth birdie in his after Rahm's flurry of birdies
last seven holes. It gave him in the opening seven holes.
a 7-under 65 and a share of Still, he managed to take
the lead with Rahm, just as Rahm all the way.
Spaniard was putting on "Proud of the way I played
the 17th green. the last few holes, proud
Rahm's birdie putt there Jon Rahm of Spain poses with the two trophies of the Race to Dubai and the DP World Tour Cham- of my season," said Fleet-
came up a few centimeters pionship after he won the golf tournament in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2019. wood, who won the Ned-
short so he needed a birdie Associated Press bank Golf Challenge in
on the par-5 last for the win. South Africa last week to
His drive was perfect, his wood said. "Cracking bird- "I heard Jack said once, played three great holes. move into contention for a
approach leaked right and ie down the last when he about the Open Cham- "I have cruised to a win, second Race to Dubai title
found the bunker, but he needed to make it." pionship in Muirfield when luckily for me, before. I in three years.
chipped out to 4 feet and When Rahm was on the he won, he told himself if have never had to grind it Fleetwood finished second
rolled in the putt for a 68 as 16th tee, he said he recalled you finish 3-4-4, you win," out after losing a lead like in the Race to Dubai stand-
Fleetwood watched in the something Jack Nicklaus Rahm said. "I told myself, that." ings, with Bernd Wiesberger
scorer's tent. Rahm finished said when the 18-time ma- 'Jon, you're on 16, one- Rahm then switched his in third place.
on 19 under par overall. jor champion spoke about shot lead, finish 4-3-4, you thoughts to another golfing Lorenzo-Vera shot 70 and
"Fair play to Jon," Fleet- his British Open win in 1966. win the tournament.' And I icon. placed third Sunday.q
Tyler Duncan rallies to win PGA Tour's RSM Classic

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. he did," Simpson said. "So, Colombian won the Sand-
(AP) — Tyler Duncan made tough to finish that way, erson Farms Championship
a 12-foot putt on the sec- but all in all, a great week." in Mississippi in September
ond hole of a playoff with The 30-year-old Duncan re- for his first PGA Tour title.
Webb Simpson on Sunday gained his PGA Tour card "First maybe eight holes I
in the RSM Classic for his first with a 12th-place finish in was a little tight," Munoz
PGA Tour title. the Korn Ferry Tour Finals af- said. "I was too careful
Playing two groups ahead ter finishing 163rd in the Fe- with my speed. Then, I just
of Simpson in windy condi- dEx Cup standings. He shot kind of let it go and made
tions on Sea Island's Seaside a 61 on Friday, then made a couple more putts and
Course, Duncan birdied 18 pars in a 70 on Saturday hit better shots and it was
three of the last four holes that left him four strokes all good. I gave myself a
in regulation for a 5-under behind third-round leader chance on 18. It didn't hap-
65. He two-putted the par- Brendon Todd. pen this time, but it already
5 15h for a birdie, made a "I knew it was going to be a did this year, so I'm happy."
6-footer on the par-3 17th tough day out here," Dun- Todd, seeking his third
and a 25-footer on the par- can said. "It was colder, the straight PGA Tour victory,
4 18th. wind picked up and I was was fourth at 16 under after
"I'm just so happy to be Tyler Duncan holds the trophy after a winning a second hole just trying to do the best I a 72. He took a two-stroke
here playing and to come playoff against Webb Simpson during the final round of the RSM could, fight until the end. lead into the final round.
Classic golf tournament in St. Simons Island, Ga., Sunday, Nov.,
out here and win is just un- 24, 2019. I hit one of the best 4-irons "I was definitely tired on
believable," Duncan said. Associated Press I've ever hit on 17 6 feet up the back nine," Todd said.
Simpson birdied 15 and 16 the hill and you guys saw "With no momentum going,
and closed with two pars, especially hard starting out stuff and it paid off down the probably 30-footer I no birdies through 14 holes,
making a 5-footer on 18 to the way we did, so I played the stretch here, especially made here on 18 just to get it just seemed like I couldn't
match Duncan at 19-under really well given the condi- this playoff. I was just able to a playoff." summon the energy to
263. tions." to keep calm and trust He earned his first spots in make some birdies.
"It played really tough all They played the 18th twice what I was doing." the Masters, PGA Champi- "I'm really appreciative of
day," Simpson said. "It was in the playoff, matching Simpson has four top-seven onship and Tournament of the last two wins that I just
blowing it seemed like a pars on the first extra hole. finishes in eight starts in the Champions in Hawaii. had in Bermuda and Mex-
solid 20 and gusts here and "I was definitely nervous, event. "Just so many different ico. Had another opportu-
there, and the pins were yeah," Duncan said." I've "I felt like it was going to go things that I'm very, very ex- nity this week, but it didn't
tough. They did a good job been working really hard my way, but that's what cited for," Duncan said. go my way. Just trying to
of setup, but they didn't on controlling my emotions great players do, they Sebastian Munoz was a keep getting in contention
make it easy for us. It was and breathing and all that birdie the last two holes like stroke back after a 68. The and closing out."q