Tony Finau. Filepic
VALLARTA, Mexico, May 1: Tony Finau grabbed his fourth win in last 18 starts and in the process beat the World No. 1 Jon Rahm, who was also the defending champion at the Mexico Open at Vidanta.
It also made up for Finau’s runner-up finish at the same event last year when Rahm won it. Finau now has four PGA TOUR titles in the last nine months.
Finau started the final round with a two-shot lead and was never in danger.
He closed with a bogey-free round of 5-under 66 that gave him a three-shot victory in the Mexico Open at Vidanta.
Akshay Bhatia, the 21-year-old who has special temporary membership, faded to a 70 and finished fourth. Bhatia, who needs a win to qualify for the FedEx Cup is however on his way to a full card for 2024.
India’s Arjun Atwal missed the cut earlier on.
Brandon Wu, who was also a joint runner-up last year, holed a 45-foot eagle putt on the par-5 sixth hole and made a short birdie on the next hole to briefly tie for the lead. Finau replied with a birdie on the seventh, and then Wu fell back with a bogey from the bunker on No. 8 and a tee shot into the water on the 10th that led to double bogey. Wu (68) finished third.
Rahm closed with a 67 and had his chances. He was three behind Finau at the turn, but the Spaniard failed to birdie two of the par 5s. The Spaniard’s last hope was on the 16th hole. Finau hit his approach into the bunker and Rahm hit a 7-iron into the same bunker. Both made par. Then Rahm simply ran out of holes.
Finau now has two victories this season — his other was in the Houston Open last fall — to join Rahm, Scottie Scheffler and Max Homa as the only multiple winners on TOUR this season.
Finau’s sixth career PGA TOUR victory was worth $1,386,000. He also moved to No. 4 in the FedExCup.
Akshay Bhatia shares 2nd place with Rahm, contends for Mexico Open
Akshay Bhatia lies fourth as Atwal misses cut in Mexico
Modest start for Arjun Atwal in Mexico
