Jon Rahm, Max Homa set for showdown of California’s kings

PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. – Jon Rahm and Max Homa have been the TOUR’s top two players this season, and it is the Golden State that brings out the best in each. It is fitting, therefore, that the final round before the TOUR heads east will likely come down to this pair.

Rahm and Homa, the only players to win multiple titles this season, are the top two names on the leaderboard entering the final round of The Genesis Invitational. Rahm holds a three-shot lead after holing a 24-footer for birdie on the final hole Saturday. He is at 15-under 198 (65-68-65), while Homa sits at 12 under after two late bogeys. Keith Mitchell is in third place, another stroke back.

Rahm has been the dominant storyline on this year’s edition of the West Coast swing after winning his first two starts of 2023. His worst finish this season is seventh. Homa hasn’t been far behind, however, winning the Farmers Insurance Open as he continues his ascension in the world ranking.

The final round at Riviera could determine the top player in the FedExCup – Rahm and Homa currently rank first and second, respectively -- and the world ranking, as Rahm could regain the top spot that he feels should rightfully be his. A win at Riviera would be his third in his past five PGA TOUR stars, and his fifth victory in his last eight events on either the PGA TOUR or DP World Tour. This recent success has come even though Rahm’s play off the tee hasn’t been up to his high standards. He led the TOUR in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee in 2022 but ranks 45th in that metric this week.

“I don't think my driving has been up to the level it's been in the past, but I've been able to make a few putts when I needed to,” he said. “I think as a whole my short game and wedge game's been a little bit better, which kind of makes up. … I think I've been doing a really good job on hitting them a little bit closer and capitalizing on the putts.”

He ranks third in Strokes Gained: Approach-the-Green this week and second in Strokes Gained: Putting. Strong iron play is a necessity on Riviera’s small and firm poa annua putting surfaces, which remind Rahm of the courses he grew up on in Spain and his beloved Torrey Pines, where he’s won the Farmers Insurance Open and his lone major, the 2021 U.S. Open. But Rahm isn’t the only one who prefers poa annua, which beguiles many players because of its unpredictability. Homa grew up a half-hour away from Riviera in Valencia, California, and also feels at home in Southern California.

Rahm and Homa have won four times apiece in this state, including once in 2023. Those four wins represent nearly half of Rahm’s nine TOUR titles and two-thirds of Homa’s victories. Rahm won The American Express in January for the second of his back-to-back wins to begin the year, while Homa’s Farmers win was his second victory in California this season (he also won the season-opening Fortinet Championship in Napa in September). Homa also won The Genesis Invitational in 2021 for his second victory on TOUR.

Homa is the only player who’s gained more strokes on the greens than Rahm this week. Sunday will be the second consecutive day they play in the final threesome with Mitchell. The group was bogey-free over Saturday’s first 14 holes. Homa bogeyed Nos. 15 and 16 to fall behind Rahm’s pace, however, and Mitchell bogeyed 18 to fall four behind.

A victory Sunday would be Homa’s fifth since the start of last season, tying him with Scottie Scheffler for the most on TOUR in that span. Homa has won four of his past 30 starts. Rahm is seeking his fourth win since the 2022 campaign began.

Homa has come from behind in five of his six PGA TOUR wins. He was five behind leader Sam Ryder entering the final round at Torrey Pines three weeks ago (and three behind Rahm, who was in second place). Homa shot a Sunday 66 to win by two.

“Chasing down the hottest golfer on the planet, it's an exciting opportunity,” Homa said. “… In this life it's just about opportunities, getting them and then when you have them, taking advantage.”

Homa is tough to beat in his home state. But so is the man he trails by three.