Spain’s Jon Rahm claimed an incredible first major after finishing with back-to-back birdies on a breathless final day of the US Open at Torrey Pines.
Rahm, 26, roared at a wall of fans after his putt on the 18th took him to six under and gave him a one-shot lead over South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen. Oosthuizen then bogeyed the 17th, meaning he needed to eagle the last to force a play-off but could only birdie. Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau challenged but faded late on.
Both players held a share of the lead early in the round but were among many to struggle on the back nine, while Rahm was the only contender to not drop a shot in the closing holes.
The victory comes two weeks after he was forced to withdraw from a PGA Tour event he was leading by six shots after three rounds because of a positive coronavirus test.
The world number three said his main concern at that time was for his wife and two-month-old baby and it was them he celebrated with – on his first Father’s Day no less – after the nerveless birdie putt saw him close out a four-under-par 67, the joint lowest score of the day.
