Sunday 15 April 2018 18:35, UK
Jon Rahm felt he came through his hardest Sunday as a professional to secure a landmark win on home soil at the Open de Espana.
The world No 4 - the home favourite this week in Madrid - fired a final-round 67 at Centro Nacional de Golf to finish on 20 under and two clear of nearest challenger Paul Dunne.
Rahm went in to the final round two strokes off the pace, but mixed six birdies with a sole blemish on Sunday to join the likes of Seve Ballesteros and Sergio Garcia as winners of their home event.
"I'm just happy to play the way I did and to get it done," Rahm told Sky Sports. "It's probably the hardest Sunday I've ever had to play because the amount of crowds I was carrying.
"I saw the willingness and the feeling that everybody had to want me to win. They were pushing so hard and I felt that. As a golfer it's hard to deal with the public's emotions, so I tried to isolate myself and that's perhaps why I didn't play my best golf.
"I've been blessed to be national champion with the Spanish Golf Federation many times, European champion and world champion representing them. To win this as a pro and do this for them and the Spanish people feels great."
Dunne began the day with a one-shot lead and still held a share of the advantage with eight holes to go, only to see his hopes fade with bogeys at the 11th and 13th.
"I felt like I hit the ball great, but my short game just let me down a little bit," Dunne said. "I hit a lot of chips that I thought were a lot better than they were and I just kept misjudging bounces.
"It's a little frustrating not to get anything going and not get any putts any putts to go in. It was just one of those days, but my game is great and I feel good going in to the next few weeks."
