Jon Rahm (-7) is on the verge of clinching the title of LIV Golf champion for the 2024 season. The golfer from Barrika, in his first year on the Saudi tour, is 18 holes away from confirming the first place he arrived at the last individual tournament of the course. But as the great champion he is, the Spaniard wants to do it in style, that is, by adding what would be his second victory in a tournament after the one achieved in the United Kingdom at the end of last July.
Thus, if yesterday he had to settle for a round of 69 strokes, with his great rival in the fight in the general classification Joaquín Niemann (-4) putting pressure on him, today he has reacted as in the great moments of his career, adding to the solidity shown on Friday a greater success in all aspects of the game. He has been impeccable from the tee (the drive of the par five of the 3, his last hole of the day, was perhaps his only mistake, and he ended up taking the birdie); he has improved his precision with the irons (15 of 18 greens in regulation), leaving himself better birdie opportunities; and with the putter he has been practically infallible, putting practically all the puttable ones.
Rahmbo closes with a birdie to take the lead at 7-under 😤#LIVGolf @LegionXIIIgc pic.twitter.com/UYgrYQdXIN
— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) September 14, 2024
The result, a round of 64 strokes, with six birdies without mistake, which not only has allowed him to recover against the Chilean and put himself three strokes above (at this moment he would achieve the famous champion ring with 235.17 points by 208.2 of Niemann) but also to place himself as the sole leader of the classification, taking advantage of the bad day of Brooks Koepka (-5). A battle for the crown and also for the victory in Chicago that will maintain tomorrow, among others, with his compatriot and friend Sergio García (-6).
The one from Borriol has signed a fantastic 65 this Saturday at the Bolingbrook Golf Club with five birdies and without mistake, leading the tournament for much of the round. He missed a putt for birdie on the par three of his last hole of the day that would have allowed him to mark himself tied in the first place with Jon, although tomorrow he will fight to win… and to secure the third place in the final general classification of the tour, which he virtually occupies at this moment with 165.49 points, ahead of Tyrrell Hatton (-2).
Rahmbo is closing in on the Individual Championship 👀
He gets to 6-under to join fellow Spaniard @TheSergioGarcia at the top 📈#LIVGolf @LegionXIIIgc pic.twitter.com/nIBu6PJcqx
— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) September 14, 2024
Eugenio López-Chacarra (+1), with 71 strokes today, occupies the 21st position tied. He needs a stratospheric Sunday to add the points he needs to not stay out of the ‘lock zone’, which complicates his future on the circuit. David Puig (+2), for his part, will start the last round from the 27th tied position, also outside the safety zone (much higher than the Madrid player), although with his future much clearer in the Fireballs.
In teams, the Cleeks (-10) of Meronk, Samooja, Bland and Kaymer have recovered this Saturday to share the first place in the classification with the Crushers (-10). The Fireballs (-6) of Sergio, David, Eugenio and Abraham Ancer occupy the third position, already stalked by the Legion XIII (-5) of Rahm and by the Majesticks (-5). The Ironheads (PAR), ninth, fight to add the necessary points to avoid ending up in the last place of the general team that would leave them out of the final of Dallas next week.
