Rahm emulates Seve; and the Cat in a Hat just misses out at Sabah

By Rahul Banerji

Jon Rahm became only the second Spaniard after the late great Seve Ballesteros to win the European Tour Order of Merit while the Cat in a Hat, Aman Raj fell just short in a playoff at the Sabah Masters on an action-packed Sunday of golf.

In the DP World Tour Championship at Dubai’s Jumeirah Golf Estates, Rahm (66) needed a last hole birdie to beat back the hard-charging Tommy Fleetwood (65), his closest challenger.

And on the Asian Tour’s Sabah Masters in Malaysia, Patna boy Aman Raj carded a blistering 8-under par round of 63 to haul himself into a four-way playoff only to miss out on the first elimination hole.

That round had brought Raj to within touching distance of his first win on the continental tour. Rashid Khan was in the group just behind the leaders in tied fifth, making it a good day for India.

Rahm earned a cool $5 million, $3 million from the world record winner’s purse and $2 million as bonus for topping the Race to Dubai rankings by a handful of points from the long-haired Englishmen.

Emulating an idol

The 25-year-old from Barrika also became only the second golfer from Spain after Severiano Ballesteros to be crowned Europe’s top player in a season.

In a ding-dong battle, Rahm reeled off birdies early on in his round, including two massive birdies to lead by six shots at one point before he three-putted at the turn, allowing Fleetwood some breathing space.

Another three-putt for Rahm midway through the back nine meant the Englishman had closed to just one shot heading into the final four holes and at this point, it was open season for the top prize and attendant jackpot.

After 17, Fleetwood had caught up with Rahm but the Spaniard rolled home a birdie putt after chipping out from the bunker to cap a remarkable day, and his one-shot victory.

“It’s really so hard to believe that some of the greatest champions in European golf and Spanish golf haven’t been able to accomplish what I have in just three years,” Rahm said.

“Sergio (Garcia) has been a great Spanish champion for years, Major winner.Ollie (José María Olazábal), two-time Major Championship winner. Miguel Ángel (Jiménez) has done a great job as well. Alvaro Quiros has won this event.

“So many great players throughout the history of Spain that have had a chance and they didn’t get it done.

“It’s just hard to put that in perspective to know that since Seve, I’m the next one to get it done. I can put the words but it just doesn’t feel like it’s true. It’s hard to believe,” Rahm was quoted as saying on the Tour website.

Scot is top rookie

Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre took away the 2019 Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year award, which Shunhankar Sharma had captured a year earlier.

Interestingly, the award before these two had gone to the big winner on the day, Jon Rahm doing so in 2017. Two years later, he was holding the Harry Vardon Trophy as Europe’s topper.

Finishing behind Rahm in the Race to Dubai Rankings Presented by Rolex were Fleetwood, Bernd Wiesberger of Austria, Ireland’s Shane Lowry and Englishman Mathew Fitzpatrick, all of whom also took home bonuses for finishing in the top five.

Aman Raj just misses out

A missed four-foot putt at the Sutera Harbour Golf and Country Club in Malaysia saw Aman Raj miss out on the first hole of a four-way playoff with Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert and Phachara Khongwatmai and Australian David Gleeson.

Pavit it was who took home his second Asian Tour title with a chip-in birdie on the second hole ahead of Phachara and Gleeson.

Rashid Khan (67-70-69-68), in contention right through the four days, was tied fifth on 10-under 274, three shots behind the lead group, while Udayan Mane (T12) and Aadil Bedi (T21) were further down the field.

The result still gave Raj a tied second-place finish, his best on the Asian Tour, and a solid jump in the Order of Merit. He only qualified for the Asian Tour at last December’s Qualifying School, and has missed just three cuts in 11 starts so far.

‘Worked for me’

“Everything felt like was working in my way,” Raj later told the Asian Tour. “Especially the putting. I’ve been hitting it decent saving my pars, but today was all about everything going in. I started with a chip in on the second hole.

“Then again made birdie on the fifth hole and missed on the sixth, made a good par on the sixth actually, then seventh and eighth long putts for birdie. On 10th hole I made birdie from like 10 feet so that was good.

“On the 11th I again had a chance from eight feet, but missed that, so I’m like that was a chance to like “go”.

“On the 13th I made birdie, that’s a good hole to make birdie It is kind of tough. I would say the toughest hole on this golf course. And I’ve been bogeying it like two days I believe. So yeah, there, that was the game changer.

“I birdied the 15th and 16th and the 17th was a good two-putt from like 30 feet. On the 18th was again a good chip but for par, I tried for the chip-in but at the same time I had to keep my par safe. So, all in all I’m happy with today’s round.

“I have been in an amateur play-off once or twice and, like, to be honest I haven’t won a play-off. It feels good to be in an Asian Tour play-off, I’ve never been in a play-off as a professional, so this is the first time.”

Raj (68-70-70-63) had the round of the day, with the next best being a 65. Four birdies marked his outward nine holes and he matched that on his way home.

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