Putting perfection! Jon Rahm sinks 70ft-effort to win BMW Championship

Putting perfection! Jon Rahm sinks 70ft-effort to win BMW Championship as he beats Dustin Johnson in FedEx Cup play-off

  • Jon Rahm sunk 70ft putt to see off Dustin Johnson to claim BMW Championship 
  • The Spaniard enjoyed a wonderful final round 64 to put pressure on his rival  
  • Johnson responded by securing an unlikely birdie putt from 40ft on the 18th
  • But Rahm made his effort look like a tap-in as he won two of three play-off events

Spaniard Jon Rahm holed an extraordinary 70ft putt to beat American Dustin Johnson at the first extra hole and claim the second of the three FedEx Cup play-off events in Chicago.

It was a fitting climax, for the pair had come up with some spectacular fireworks simply to set up the play-off. 

Rahm looked to have stolen a victory with a wonderful final round 64, leaving Johnson needing to hole an unlikely birdie putt from all of 40ft on the 18th to force extra-time. But, defying prohibitive odds, he made it.

Jon Rahm won the J.D Wadley trophy and BMW Championship after a sudden-death play-off

Jon Rahm won the J.D Wadley trophy and BMW Championship after a sudden-death play-off

He sunk a spectacular 70ft putt to see off his rival Dustin Johnson in extra time at Fed-Ex Cup

He sunk a spectacular 70ft putt to see off his rival Dustin Johnson in extra time at Fed-Ex Cup

That putt, however, looked almost a tap-in compared to Rahm’s in extra-time. The consolation for Johnson is that he remains in pole position for the mammoth $15 million bonus going into the FedEx finale beginning in Atlanta on Friday.

Earlier, defending FedEx champion Rory McIlroy closed with a 71, leaving him without a top ten finish in eight events post-lockdown. Whether he will be in Atlanta is open to considerable doubt with wife Erica due to give birth to their first child this week.

Matt Fitzpatrick needed a top four finish to make it to Atlanta and fell agonisingly short following a 66 for tied sixth place. It means McIlroy and Tyrrell Hatton are the only UK players to qualify.

Rory McIlroy closed with 71, leaving him without a top ten finish in eight events post-lockdown

Rory McIlroy closed with 71, leaving him without a top ten finish in eight events post-lockdown

Meanwhile, the six week UK swing on the European Tour ended on a resoundingly positive note at the Belfry with an exciting play-off victory for brilliant teenager, Rasmus Hojgaard in the ISPS Handa UK Championship.

Alongside Sam Horsfield from England, the 19 year old Dane was the star of the swing as he won on the second extra hole, outlasting 39 year old South African Justin Walters.

In four appearances, Hojgaard finished 2nd, 6th, 3rd and now first to edge Horsfield – who won two events but didn’t play last week – in the mini order of merit.

source: dailymail.co.uk