EThe outcome of Jon Rahm’s first season at LIVGolf seems on track towards what was written as a script the day he signed for the league promoted by Saudi Arabia for 500-odd million. With 18 holes left in the final in Chicago, the leader of the XIII Legion leads Joaquín Niemann by three strokes, with whom he shared a match.
If he finishes ahead he will take the ring and a bonus of 18 million dollars to add to the more than 15 —it could be up to almost 20 if he wins this last tournament—just in prizes this year. Total, close to 35, far from the 62 that Scheffler has earned in the PGATour.
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Rahm came out one stroke behind the Chilean. But the most solid version of Barrika’s The panorama changed immediately. Three birdies in eight holes, one on 11 with a 5-meter putt, shot Jon up to second place, while leader Brooks Koepka (73 strokes) had a poor start – four bogeys after 9 -, as happened to Niemann, with two errors on the second shots, softened by a chip he holed out of the rough on the 12th. In those couple of hours, the difference between the two contenders for the course’s jackpot was already three shots in favor of Jon. Koepka and an unleashed Meronk, in the fight for the lead, already had one.
The rise to leadership
Jon rose to the lead after the first par 5, his 11th hole. He did it at the same time as Sergio García, Brilliant with the driver and the putt, the tormenting club, and Poulter to equalize everyone at five under par. Borriol feels inspired by courses like these with small greens, which remind him of Valderrama, where he achieved a formidable victory in the summer.
Already in the final sprint, García (65) continued with his recital on the greens and with Rahm (64) they opened distance. Jon took advantage of the last par 5 and leads with 7 under par, with one over Sergio and two over Koepka, who had a crazy day. l
