Spain’s Jon Rahm equalled his highest finish at a Major Championship after finishing tied for fourth at the 100th US PGA Championship, four shots behind winner and former Challenge Tour graduate Brooks Koepka.
The 23 year old, who also finished fourth at the 2018 Masters Tournament, came into the tournament looking for a spark after missing the cut at both the US Open and The Open Championship but quickly found the form that has seen him win two Rolex Series events after signing for a 68 in his first round at a jam-packed Bellerive Country Club, Missouri.
Impressive rounds of 67, 66, and 68 followed for an 11 under par finish with the former World Number Two looking back to his best as he gears up for a busy end to the season with the Ryder Cup and the European Tour’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai fast approaching. Rahm picks up 489,250 Race to Dubai points and moves from eighth to seventh in the Race to Dubai Rankings with a season total of 2,161,574 points.
“Congratulations to Jon for finishing as the highest European in a strong field at the PGA Championship,” said Nick Tarratt, Director European Tour International, Dubai. “We are looking forward to welcoming him back to Jumeirah Golf Estates as he looks to defend his DP World Tour Championship title.
“I’d also like to congratulate Brooks who has gone from strength to strength since graduating from the Challenge Tour in 2014. The Tour can be a fantastic pathway to success as Brooks has showed with his three Major wins.”
Belgium’s Thomas Pieters and Italian Francesco Molinari finished one further back than Rahm to share sixth place with the American duo of Justin Thomas and Gary Woodland. The pair each receive 334,712 Race to Dubai points for their efforts which sees Molinari extend his lead at the summit of the Race to Dubai Rankings whilst Pieters books his place in the DP World Tour Championship after jumping from 37th to 22nd with 1,124,542 points.
“I played really well this week,” said Pieters after his round. “I’m happy with the week, obviously, it’s a tough one to take, but then again I’ve had a very, very rough year and a half and it’s nice to play some good golf now. So, I’m quite happy. It’s just nice to contend. I had a feeling like I could win this if I put up something nice and I haven’t had that feeling in any tournament. It’s nice to do it here, obviously.”
Meanwhile, Irishman Shane Lowry made a leap in the Race to Dubai Rankings after finishing in a tie for 12th, which is his highest finish in 2018. The 31 year old collected 187,747 Race to Dubai points which leaves him on the brink of the Race to Dubai’s top 60 after climbing from 106th to 64th with 447,480 points.
Former Race to Dubai leader Patrick Reed finished missed the cut after he could only manage three over par at the halfway stage. The American remains in second place in the Race to Dubai Rankings with a season total of 3,057,948 points.
Englishman Tommy Fleetwood completes the top three on 2,805.042 points. The Race to Dubai champion signed for a total of two under par which left him In a share of 35th place at St Louis.
The DP World Tour Championship, Dubai takes place at Jumeirah Golf Estates from November 15-18.
