'Madness': Fans erupt over 'out of this world' golfing moment
Jon Rahm's title-winning putt is being hailed as "one of the greatest" the sport will ever see and it's understandably left the golfing world in a frenzy.
Even with so few people around, Rahm could hear from the other side of the Olympia Fields clubhouse that Dustin Johnson had made a 45-foot birdie on the final hole to force a playoff in the BMW Championship.
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Unfazed, Rahm went one better than Johnson with an extraordinary moment of magic that will be spoken about for years to come.
The cup was only a distant vision for Rahm, with a treacherous sideways slope the other brutal factor for the Spanish star to consider as he putted for victory.
As soon as the ball left Rahm's putter, viewers held their breath as it snaked from one end of the the 18th green to the other, inching its way 66-feet towards the hole before nestling in the cup to set off a roar so loud it nearly made up for not having spectators.
Rahm was clearly still trying to come to terms with his moment of magic after the victory.
"Luckily it just looked really, really good on the way," Rahm said in a televised interview.
"I could hardly believe it."
The crazy end to the event was described as "madness" by broadcaster Andy Maher, with the golfing world losing it over Rahm's title-winning brilliance.
"The last two putts in this thing have been out of this world," Maher said.
Aussie golf commentator Luke Elvy said: "This is silly!!!” and American sports writer Cameron DaSilva labelled Rahm's effort "one of the best putts you'll ever see."
Jon Rahm that is some outrageous golf👏🏼👏🏼
— Josh Rooney (@RooneyJ16) August 30, 2020
Jon Rahm, folks. One of the best putts you’ll ever see pic.twitter.com/RgBLHQPee7
— Cameron DaSilva (@camdasilva) August 30, 2020
DJ and Rahm!!! Phenomenal golf!
Outrageous putts— Jim McLean Golf (@McLeanGolf) August 30, 2020
OMMMMMMFGGGG! Jon Rahm is unconscious!! One of the best putts I’ve ever seen!
Just an incredible last 20 mins
Golf ⛳️ is the best!!#BMWChampionship pic.twitter.com/lPsTMZvWWl— Dan Leach (@DanLeach971) August 30, 2020
Incredible from DJ and then utterly outrageous from Rahm, top notch all round 👏
— Luke Elder (@Lukeelder13) August 30, 2020
From 66 feet.
Jon Rahm sinks his birdie putt on the first playoff hole. pic.twitter.com/6uzdfXWSop— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) August 30, 2020
Jon Rahm, that is ridiculous! 😱😱😱
Sinking a 66 foot birdie putt to beat Dustin Johnson at the 1st playoff hole and win the #BMWChampionship 🏆
pic.twitter.com/t12MOHW8a7— low6 (@low6bet) August 30, 2020
Johnson birdie set up grandstand finish
The course that all week felt like a US Open delivered the kind of excitement typical of the Masters.
Rahm's big birdie putt on the first extra hole spared him thoughts of his blunder in the third round, when he picked up his ball on the fifth green without marking it, leading to a one-shot penalty and his only bogey of the weekend.
He tore through the back nine on Sunday on his way to a flawless 6-under 64, the lowest round of the week, to finish at 4-under 276.
Johnson, a 54-hole leader for his third straight tournament and coming off an 11-shot victory last week at the TPC Boston, delivered in the clutch with his 45-foot birdie putt on the last hole for a 67.
It was only good enough to stay at No.1 by a slim margin.
Dustin Johnson (+800) forced a playoff vs. Jon Rahm (+900) thanks to this majestic 43-foot birdie putt on No. 18. pic.twitter.com/p4xSvDTO5Z
— BetRivers (@BetRivers) August 30, 2020
He also stays top of the FedExCup standings going to the Tour Championship, meaning he will start the chase for the $15 million bonus at 10-under par, two stroked ahead of Rahm, the No. 2 seed.
Australia will have two players at East Lakes GC after Adam Scott blew his hopes of joining March Leishman and Cameron Smith in Atlanta.
Stating Sunday in a share of third and playing alongside Rahm, Scott shot a 75 to slide down to 25th to leave him outside the season-long standings' top 30.
Smith rounded out his week with a 69 to grab a share of 20th at five-over and play himself into some form Leishman's 73 on Sunday was his best round at Olympia Fields.
Jason Day's 68 was best of the four Australians in the final round but he, like fellow former world no.1 Scott, won't be at the PGA Tour's season finale
Tiger Woods (71) failed to reach the Tour Championship for the second straight year.
with agencies