Jon Rahm Falls Short in LIV Golf Debut
In an intense showdown at the 2024 LIV Golf Invitational-Mayakoba, Jon Rahm came close to securing the individual title in his debut. However, a series of unexpected errors in the final stretch left him two shots behind the wild playoff between Joaquin Niemann and Sergio Garcia.
Niemann, who had an impressive start to the week with a remarkable 12-under 59, ultimately emerged victorious after a grueling battle with Garcia. The thrilling playoff concluded on the fourth extra hole at Mayakoba’s El Camaleon Golf Course.
Despite settling for a tie for third place in the individual event, Rahm still had reason to celebrate as his team, Legion XIII, clinched the team title. This achievement added an extra boost to the world’s third-ranked player, who walked away with a hefty cash prize.
On Sunday, Rahm began the final round trailing Niemann by four shots. He struggled to make an impact in the first 12 holes, with only a bogey at the par-4 sixth and a birdie at the par-5 seventh breaking his string of pars.
However, the two-time major champion staged a comeback by birdying the next three holes, bringing his total score to an impressive 12-under for the week.
Unfortunately, Rahm’s fortunes took a turn for the worse. A tee shot into a hazard at the 386-yard, par-4 17th resulted in a costly bogey, his second of the week on this particular hole. To compound his disappointment, he then bogeyed the 489-yard, par-4 18th, finishing at 10-under and two strokes behind Niemann and Garcia. Dean Burmester also shared the third-place spot with Rahm.
While Rahm missed out on the individual title, the combined payouts for the third and fourth positions in the LIV Golf competition amounted to $2.5 million. As a result, both Rahm and Burmester walked away with $1.25 million in prize money.
As Rahm reflects on his LIV Golf debut, he can find solace in the fact that his Legion XIII team emerged triumphant. With a $2 million payday and a lucrative contract, Rahm’s decision to join the Saudi-backed circuit has proven to be a financial success.
RAHM’S LEGION XIII DOMINATES TEAM COMPETITION, WINS TITLE
In a thrilling individual event, the team competition at the LIV Golf tournament was a one-sided affair. Rahm’s Legion XIII, led by Jon Rahm and featuring Tyrrell Hatton, Kieran Vincent, and Caleb Surratt, ran away with the title.
Starting the final round at 10-under, Rahm’s team showcased their dominance throughout the day, securing a resounding victory. While only the top three scores from each team counted in the first three rounds, all four scores were taken into account for the final 18 holes.
Surprisingly, Rahm’s 1-under round of 70 was the team’s worst score on Sunday. Vincent, who hadn’t contributed to the team’s score in the previous two days, delivered an impressive 2-under 69. Surratt also had his best round of the week, carding a 4-under 67.
However, it was Hatton who stole the show. Starting the final round at even par, he produced a remarkable 7-under 64, propelling Legion XIII to a 14-under total for the day.
With a final score of 24-under, Rahm’s unit secured a comfortable four-stroke victory over Bryson DeChambeau’s Crushers GC and a seven-stroke lead over Niemann’s Torque GC. As the victorious team, they will split a prize of $3 million, with Rahm himself earning an additional $750,000, bringing his total earnings for the day to an impressive $2 million.
It’s an outstanding start for Rahm and his team at their new workplace.
