It would make a good pub quiz question. What players have won their first US PGA Tour event straight after being crowned world number one? Until now, the answer would have been just four: Ian Woosnam, David Duval, Vijay Singh and Adam Scott. After the weekend’s World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship, however, there is a new member in that ultra-select club: Dustin Johnson.
It was the American’s 14th Tour title, and his four WGC wins are the most of any player other than Tiger Woods (a distant 18).
The reigning U.S. Open champion held off challenges by rising English star Tommy Fleetwood (second, one stroke back) and third-placed Ross Fisher and Jon Rahm (another shot adrift of the champion).
Rory McIlroy closed with an even-par 71 to finish seventh in his first start since returning from a rib injury, and Thomas Pieters tied for fifth to earn eligibility for special temporary membership on the PGA Tour. Defending champion Adam Scott battled illness all week and could only manage joint 45th, 15 shots behind Johnson. He was the best finisher of five Australians, and that meant the tournament was officially the worst-ever World Golf Championships performance for Australia to date.
Johnson's four-shot lead going to the back nine turned into a one-shot deficit when Spanish rookie Rahm ran off an eagle and two birdies at Chapultepec Golf Club. “Rahmbo” had gone 59 holes without a three-putt but he then took two in a row to drop out of contention.
“Sometimes you're going to make some bogeys from those greens and unfortunately for me it happened at the end,” Rahm said. “I didn't play great every day and still had a chance to win the tournament. My first chance here on this golf course, first time I played this kind of event and to actually have a chance and be in it the first time, it's really nothing but positive.”
