Jon Rahm captured two titles on Sunday, winning the 2024 LIV Golf League individual championship with his victory at LIV Golf Chicago at Bolingbrook (Ill.) Golf Club.
The Spaniard, in his first year on the tour after leaving the PGA Tour in December, collected his second tournament victory this season with a bogey-free, 4-under 66 in the third round for 11-under 199. He earned $4 million and collected the $18 million prize for the season points crown.
He won by three strokes over his main competition for the season-long title, Chile’s Joaquin Niemann (bogey-free 66 on Sunday), and fellow Spaniard Sergio Garcia (bogey-free 68).
“Today was a special day in many ways,” Rahm said. “I woke up really nervous today, as I thought I would, and even warming up, I told Adam (Hayes, his caddie), man, I’m nervous. But then I started thinking, playing with Sergio and Brooks (Koepka), last time both me and Sergio played good, it was a good Sunday in Valderrama; Sergio ended up winning. Last time I went up against Brooks, he ended up beating me. I wanted to, hopefully, do a really good showing this time and maybe get it over the line.”
Rahm entered the tournament leading Niemann by 2.97 points in the season standings.
He had a one-shot lead starting the day and birdied Nos. 3, 6, 10 and 17.
Garcia, who was in second going into the final round, birdied the sixth and 14th holes but couldn’t keep pace.
Niemann, tied for fourth and three shots off the pace after two rounds, started strong with birdies on the par-4 first hole and par-5 third but couldn’t gain ground with only birdies at Nos. 11 and 15.
“It wasn’t very difficult to keep an eye up because (Niemann) was right up there on the leaderboard,” Rahm said. “I said yesterday in my presser, I like to know where I stand. I wasn’t always looking directly, but anytime I saw the leaderboard, it was very noticeable that his name was there, amongst many others because Tyrrell (Hatton) started great, Sergio was also on my heels. I’m glad that once I took that two-shot lead on 3, it never got any closer than that.”
England’s Hatton was alone in fourth place at 7 under following a round of six birdies and a bogey at No. 16 for a 65.
Crushers led the team competition by four shots after Friday and were tied with Cleeks at 10 under through two rounds. Crushers emerged at 14 under for a one-shot victory over Legion XIII and team captain Rahm.
India’s Anirban Lahiri carded a 67 on Sunday, while team captain Bryson DeChambeau shot 68, Great Britain’s Paul Casey 70 and Charles Howell III 71.
“I couldn’t be more proud of Paul, Ban and Charles for sticking through it,” DeChambeau said. “When Charles was not here for quite a while (leg injury), it was tough for us, but John (Catlin) filled in nicely, and once we had ol’ Chucky back here, he delivered for us today. He didn’t do his best here, but we’re all a team here, and that’s why we play LIV Golf.”
Legion XIII with Rahm, Hatton, Kieran Vincent and Caleb Surratt, was at 13 under. Fireballs was third at 12 under, with Cleeks falling to seventh at 8 under.
The tour’s team championship is Sept. 20-22 at Maridoe Golf Club near Dallas in Carrollton, Texas.
–Field Level Media