Irish Open: Jon Rahm seals epic comeback victory at Lahinch
By Matt Coles
Spain’s Jon Rahm claimed the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open title for a second time, after his final round of 62 was enough for him to win this year’s event by two shots.
After only scraping into the weekend’s action by a shot on Friday evening, Rahm shot incredible rounds of 64 on Saturday and 62 on Sunday to come from five back and win the Irish Open title at Lahinch Golf Club in County Clare.
He claimed his second Irish Open victory, having also won this event back in 2017, when the tournament was held at Portstewart in Northern Ireland.
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The Spaniard finished two shots clear of England’s Andy Sullivan and Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger, who ended the week in a tie for 2nd place, at -14.
The Austrian took the first of three qualifying places for The Open Championship at Royal Portrush in ten days time. Joining him in Northern Ireland will be overnight leader Robert Rock and his countryman, Paul Waring.
Rock finished in a tie for 4th, after a final round of 70. He will leave with a new course record at Lahinch after Saturday’s round of 60, but he finishes just outside the top three, alongside compatriot Eddie Pepperell and Spaniard Rafa Cabrera-Bello at -13.
Following the Spain and England trend are the pair who finished a further shot back, including Open qualifier Paul Waring. He and Jorge Campillo concluded the tournament in a tie for 7th.
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Martin Kaymer continued his return to form with a top ten finish at Lahinch, alongside halfway leader Zander Lombard, Italy’s Edoardo Molinari, Malaysia’s Gavin Green and France’s Mike Lorenzo-Vera.
A further shot back was Scotland’s Grant Forrest at -10, with Northern Ireland’s Cormac Sharvin enjoying a top 20 finish on the European Tour for the first at -9.
Sharvin finished in a tie for 15th, alongside Thorbjorn Olesen, Adri Arnaus and Haotong Li. English pair Tommy Fleetwood and Lee Westwood end the week at -7, and in a tie for 23rd, with Robin Dawson as the lead Irishman a shot behind them at -6.
Defending Champion Russell Knox finished his week with two consecutive rounds of 70, ending in a tie for 31st, alongside Alejandro Canizares and Joakim Lagergren.
Round 1 leader Padraig Harrington could only manage a T50 finish come Sunday afternoon, thanks to rounds of 73, 73 and 70 following his opening 63 on Thursday, but he finished with this birdie on the 18th.
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The European Tour continues with the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open at the Renaissance Club in North Berwick, Scotland.
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The event starts on Thursday, and it is the final links golf preparations ahead of the 148th Open Championship at Royal Portrush, which takes place a week later.
Final Irish Open Leaderboard:
-16: Jon Rahm (ESP)
-14: Andy Sullivan (ENG), Bernd Wiesberger (AUT)
-13: Eddie Pepperell (ENG), Robert Rock (ENG), Rafa Cabrera-Bello (ESP)
-12: Jorge Campillo (ESP), Paul Waring (ENG)
-11: Martin Kaymer (GER), Edoardo Molinari (ITA), Gavin Green (MAS), Mike Lorenzo-Vera (FRA), Zander Lombard (RSA)
-10: Grant Forrest (SCO)
-9: Adri Arnaus (ESP), Haotong Li (CHI), Thorbjorn Olesen (DEN), Cormac Sharvin (NIR)
Selected Others:
-7: Tommy Fleetwood (ENG), Lee Westwood (ENG)
-6: Robin Dawson (IRL)
-5: Russell Knox (SCO)
-4: Shane Lowry (IRL), Brandon Stone (RSA), George Coetzee (RSA)
-3: Ian Poulter (ENG)
-2: Louis Oosthuizen (RSA)
-1: Padraig Harrington (IRL)