Jon Rahm didn’t hit the ball much differently than he did the previous two rounds of the Mexico Open.
His few poor swings just didn’t cost him as much.
And he putted lights out.
“Today, everything just seemed perfect, right?” Rahm said firing 10-under 61 on Saturday to vault into a share of second at 17 under, just two shots back of Tony Finau entering Sunday’s final round at Vidanta.
Rahm’s 61, not only a tournament record but also a personal best for Rahm on the PGA Tour, featured 10 birdies (six during a front-nine 29), no bogeys, just one missed green and 25 putts totaling over 156 feet.
Four of Rahm’s putts were from 25 feet and out, including a 38-foot birdie make on the par-4 opening hole and his final birdie of the day, from 36 feet at the par-3 17th hole.
“I think that’s the difference usually in a course like this,” said Rahm, who is trying to successfully defend in Mexico and win for the fifth time on Tour this calendar year. “You can see a lot of 6, 7 under pars, but to get to 10, you’re going to have to make a few lengthy ones, and combined with really good ball-striking, great round. Really happy with what I did and just glad I gave myself a chance for tomorrow.”
Said Finau of Rahm’s round: “It was something I expected going into today, he’s an amazing golfer. … Not a big surprise to me.”
The only complaint for Rahm was a missed 7-foot birdie at the par-4 16th hole, which would’ve taken a bit of the pressure off as he chased 59 on the par-5 finishing hole.
“The only moment of the round I would say I wish I could take back, but I think it wasn’t my best stroke, it was the only one I could say was a bad stroke,” Rahm said of the putt at No. 16. “But even if I hit my putt on the intended line, I don’t think I would have made it. … But that’s golf, you don’t make them all.”
Full-field scores from the Mexico Open at Vidanta
Needing eagle at the last to go sub-60, Rahm hit a drive that was “probably one of the best swings of the day.” The wind, however, knocked Rahm’s power fade from being “dead center” to finding a dead lie in the sand. Rahm had to chip out sideways and ended up with a disappointing par to close. But again, Rahm looked on the bright side. Earlier, at the par-4 eighth hole, Rahm thinned a 5-iron that released to inside 3 feet.
“This is golf,” Rahm reiterated. “This is what happens.”
Tasked with chasing down Finau on Sunday in Mexico, Rahm hopes Saturday’s round happens again.
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