Jon Rahm acknowledged that Joaquin Niemann was likely more deserving of winning the LIV Golf championship after narrowly edging out the Chilean competitor. Despite losing in a play-off, Rahm secured his second consecutive LIV title by finishing at 22-under in Indianapolis on Sunday.
The victory earned the 30-year-old a substantial £13.3 million in prize money. Rahm, shooting 11-under on the final day, did not claim the weekend’s LIV championship, which was won by Sebastian Munoz, Niemann’s teammate at Torque GC. Munoz set a new professional golf record with a 59 on Friday, despite a double bogey during the round.
Niemann, who has achieved five wins this year compared to Rahm’s zero, has suggested a review of the points structure in LIV Golf following his close miss in the overall standings. However, Niemann praised Rahm’s performance, acknowledging his remarkable golf skills during Sunday’s event.
Reflecting on the competition, Niemann finished the weekend tied for fourth place at -17, expressing pride in his performance but noting that missed putts hindered his chances. Rahm, after multiple play-off losses, concluded the year with four runner-up finishes and eight top 10 placements, suggesting potential flaws in LIV’s current system.
While feeling somewhat mixed about his win, Rahm commended Niemann for his outstanding season, earning a £5.9 million bonus. Rahm recognized Niemann’s exceptional achievements and the possibility that Niemann might have been more deserving of the victory.
With this triumph, Rahm adds a second LIV Golf title to his impressive record, which includes wins at the 2023 Masters and the 2021 US Open, along with several other major top-five finishes. The top five performers from the Indianapolis LIV event were Munoz (-22*), Rahm (-22), Dustin Johnson (-20), Niemann (-17), David Puig (-17), Branden Grace (-17), and Carlos Ortiz (-17).