Jon Rahm finishes tenth and Sergio García also comes back (27th)
MADRID, 19 Jun. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The American golfer Wyndham Clark was proclaimed champion of the US Open this Sunday, the third ‘major’ of the season, in a dramatic final day at times at The Los Angeles Country Club, where he held the lead against the Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy to achieve the biggest victory of his career, while the Spanish Jon Rahm finished in the ‘Top 10’ and Sergio García, 27th.
Clark started the last day in the lead together with a Rickie Fowler who finished deflating (+5) in a week that began with the best card in the history of the tournament (-8). The player from Denver, four years in the PGA and with a 75th place as the best result in his six ‘Grand Slam’ tournaments so far, had to deal with world-class players and with a field that saved the best for the end.
Thus, the 29-year-old American endured the persecution of number one, his compatriot Scottie Scheffler, and a McIlroy who forgave a lot with his ‘putt’ and did not press when Clark suffered the most. Two ‘bogeys’ after the ‘birdie’ on the 14th left the leader in a delicate situation, but with only the ‘birdie’ on the 1st hole, McIlroy did not beat the Los Angeles course to give himself a chance.
The Hollywood star course had a movie ending for Clark, amid fast, hard greens, and difficult flags protected by bunkers and fescue. An open outcome until the last ‘putt’ of the tournament, on the 18th hole that Clark faced with a stroke ahead. The American reached the ‘green’ with two ‘putts’ to win and did not fail with the 70 signed by both McIlrtoy and Scheffler.
Clark’s celebration was one of liberation, from the stress and glory at the Home Open. After winning the Wells Fargo Championship in May, his first victory, the American went ‘big’ in Los Angeles in a surprise outburst that he dedicated to his mother who died nine years ago. For his part, McIlrtoy lost a good chance to win a major again nine years later.
As for the Spanish golfers, Jon Rahm finished in the ‘Top 10’ with his best day of the week, 65 strokes. A good closing for the Masters champion to try to recover cruising speed in the coming tournaments. Meanwhile, Sergio García ended up making the par for the field, unfortunate in the ‘bogey’ of 18 and +2 in total, but regular after all to finish 27th.