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Leishman edges Rahm to win Farmers Insurance Open by one

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Marc Leishman fired a Sunday 65 and birdied the 72nd hole to win the Farmers Insurance Open by one shot over Jon Rahm. Here’s how things shook out Sunday at Torrey Pines:

LEADERBOARD

1. Leishman, -15

2. Rahm, -14

T-3. Brandt Snedeker, -12

T-3. Rory McIlroy, -12

5. Tom Hoge, -11

HOW IT HAPPENED

Four off the overnight lead held by Rahm, Leishman stormed out of the gate with five birdies in his first eight holes, making the turn in 31. He carded his lone bogey and three more birdies on the back nine – including the crucial one at the par-5 18th – to shoot a final-round 65 and edge Rahm by a single shot.

WHAT IT MEANS

This is Leishman’s fifth PGA Tour victory and his first worldwide win since the 2018 CIMB Classic in Malaysia. Already 28th in the world and the second highest Aussie coming into the week, behind Adam Scott and ahead of Cameron Smith and Jason Day, Leishman is in line to represent Australia at the Tokyo Olympics this summer. With the victory, he locks up PGA Tour membership through the 2021-22 season.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

The 54-hole leader by one, Rahm played his first five holes in 4 over, with two bogeys and a double. After making the turn in 39, he mounted a furious back-nine charge, playing his final six holes in 5 under, with four birdies, a bogey and an eagle. Needing another eagle on No. 18 to tie Leishman at 15 under and force a playoff, Rahm put himself in nearly the exact same spot from which he holed a closing eagle to win this event in 2017. But this it wasn’t to be. He settled for a birdie and a round of 2-under 70, with a 39-31 split.

SHOT OF THE DAY

Tiger Woods jarred his approach from 141 yards at the par-4 second. The problem is that the ball didn’t stay in the hole:

Woods tapped in for one of his four Sunday birdies in a round of 70. Nine under par for the week, he finished tied for ninth.

TIGER WOODS ON THE PASSING OF KOBE BRYANT

After the round, caddie Joe LaCava informed Woods of the passing of five-time NBA Champion Kobe Bryant in a helicopter crash outside Los Angeles. In a post-round television interview, Woods offered:

“I didn’t know until Joey just told me coming off 18 green. I didn’t really understand why the people in the gallery were saying ‘Do it for Mamba.’ But now I understand. It’s a shocker to everyone. I’m unbelievably sad. It’s one of the more tragic days, and I think for me, the reality is just kind of sitting it, because I’m just hearing about it five minutes ago.”

As for what he’ll remember about Bryant: “The fire,” Woods answered. “He burns so competitively hot. And the desire to win. He brought it each and every night on both ends of the floor. And not too many guys can say that throughout NBA history. He locked up on D, obviously he was dominant on the offensive side, but any time he was in the game, he would take on their best player and just shut ‘em down for all 48 minutes. And that was one of the more impressive things, I think, throughout his entire career. And then when he ruptured his achilles and went to the foul line and made his shots. I mean … that’s tough.”