Rahm Roars, Rory’s Race Still Alive.

 
Jon Rahm reminded everyone why he’s box office this week in Abu Dhabi. A final-round 67, six birdies, and a two-shot win over Tyrrell Hatton—his first DP World Tour victory in four years. Rahm was near-flawless on the back nine (one dropped shot on 17 the only blemish), and after a rough spell, he’s back in the winner’s circle. Say what you want about the noise around him, but the man can flat-out play.
 
Now the bigger picture for Rory fans. A third-place finish for McIlroy wasn’t the win they wanted, but it was exactly what he needed in the Race to Dubai. He leapfrogged Patrick Reed into second and now sits roughly 534 points behind Eugenio Chacarra with one event left.
 
What does Rory need next week at the DP World Tour Championship? A win. With 2,000 points for the winner and 1,335 for second, the maths is simple. If Rory wins, he gets 2,000. Even if Chacarra finishes solo second, he gets 1,335—a net gain of 665 for Rory, more than enough to erase the 534-point deficit. In other words, if Rory wins, he’s the Race to Dubai champion, no matter what Chacarra does. If Rory finishes second? Then he needs Chacarra to have a really bad week. A win is the only guarantee.
 
McIlroy’s chasing a record-equalling eighth Order of Merit title, and after that two-shot penalty on Thursday (which turned a double-bogey into an 8), he still fought back to solo third. That’s the kind of grit we love to see.
 
So next week in Dubai: Rahm’s outside chance is still alive, but for Rory, it’s win and you’re in. Simple as that. Let’s see if he can deliver.
 
Meanwhile on the PGA Tour—Blades Brown: we called him as a name to watch on ‘our young guns podcast’—and Sunday he became the youngest PGA Tour winner in 95 years. The 19-year-old rallied from seven shots back with a 9-under 63 at the World Wide Technology Championship in Los Cabos, then beat Ben James with a birdie on the second playoff hole. Youngest since Charles Kocsis (1931 Michigan Open, age 18).
 
Enjoy the Walk!
 
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