Rahm roars, tops LIV Golf Chicago

LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Spain’s Jon Rahm fired four birdies — including a 12-footer at the 17th — to win LIV Golf Chicago on Sunday and clinch the Saudi-backed circuit’s individual season title worth $18 million.

The two-time major winner from Spain, who made the jump to the breakaway league last December, captured his second victory in the past three events, sandwiched around a runner-up finish to Brooks Koepka in a playoff at LIV Golf Greenbrier in August.

Rahm, who hasn’t finished outside the top 10 in 11 events, arrived at Bolingbrook Golf Course near Chicago this week with Joaquin Niemann — a two-time winner this season — his only rival for the season title.

After a six-under-par second round on Saturday, Rahm took a one-shot lead over compatriot Sergio Garcia into the final round, with Niemann three adrift and needing to finish in front of Rahm to bag the individual champion’s bonus.

Rahm had birdies at the third, sixth and 10th holes, and after letting a couple of birdie chances go begging, he sealed it with his birdie at 17, carding a four-under final round for a 54-hole total of 11-under par.