Rahm embroiders it and gets fully into the fight for the victory at the Mexico Open

Jon Rahm It is still sweet and rare, it is the week that does not give an exhibition only available to the best player in the world at the moment. This time it has been in the third round of the Mexico Open, which takes place in Vidanta (Puerto Vallarta)in which he has signed a fabulous card of 61 strokes (ten under par) that has put him squarely in the fight for the title.

It’s the third time Rahm has posted a 61-shot round on the PGA Tour. The first was in the third round of the World Championship in Mexico in February 2020 and repeated fortune in the Sentry Tournament of Champions Hawaii in January.

Rahm started this Saturday with the authority that the world number 1 is supposed to have. Six birdies on the first eight holes, including a 40-footer (hole 1) and an eight-footer (hole 3)which were remarkably close to the lead after finishing yesterday six shots off the lead.

After taking a ‘rest’ on holes 9, 10 and 11, the Basque achieved a seventh birdie on the second par 5 of the course and finished off his comeback with an eighth on the 13th hole, a par 3 that he tamed with a good tee off and a putt of just over seven meters.

Any other player would have been satisfied with such large loot but Jon is not just any player so capped off his fabulous day with a third straight birdie on the 14th holethird par 5 of the Vidanta Vallarta Golf.

He was able to score a tenth biridie minutes later on holes 15 and 16 but in both cases his putt stayed half a span from the hole. The ten had to arrive unexpectedly, with a 40-foot putt on the 17th holea not very grateful par 3 that did not exactly invite optimism.

The 18th hole remained, the fourth par 5 of the Vidanta Vallarta Golf, with which his chances of achieving an eleventh biride increased but visited his first and only bunker on the day of departure and could not beat his record on the PGA Tour.

Nevertheless, Those 196 strokes (-17) place him second, only two strokes behind a Tony Finau that did not wrinkle before the exhibition of the Spanish -added up to seven birdies for a single bogey-. The American seems the only one in a position to avoid the fifth title of the year for the Biscayan on the PGA Tour although his compatriot Akshay BhatiaThe 21-year-old is tied for second with Rahm after a great round of 63 shots.

double challenge

The ‘León de Barrika’ seeks two historical records in this Mexico Open. On the one hand, intends to retain the crown in a PGA Tour tournament for the first time Well, he already won in Puerto Vallarta last year.

On the other, he would become the Spaniard with the most wins on the most prestigious and demanding circuit in the world, since right now he is tied with 11 with Sergio García by the nine of Severiano Ballesteros or the six of José María Olazábal.