LIV Golf Mexico City winner Jon Rahm of Legion XIII celebrates on the final hole at Club de Golf Chapultepec on Sunday. Image courtesy LIV Golf.
From a Correspondent
Mexico City: If any of his pursuers had set their sights on the individual title at LIV Golf Mexico City, Jon Rahm delivered a decisive message on Sunday with a four-hole stretch that included three birdies and a tap-in eagle.
The Legion XIII captain stayed aggressive the rest of the way at Club de Golf Chapultepec, producing the day’s low score, a bogey-free 7 under 64 to set up a comfortable six-shot victory over young Fireballs GC star David Puig.
It’s the most decisive of Rahm’s four individual wins since joining LIV Golf prior to the 2024 season – and it also helped make him the league’s winningest player across all competitions.
With his Legion XIII team also claiming the team trophy by nine shots, Rahm now has 16 LIV Golf trophies, putting him one ahead of Crushers GC’s Bryson DeChambeau, despite playing two less seasons.
“A little bit of disbelief,” said Rahm, who finished at 21 under just a week after a disappointing tie for 38th at the Masters.
“If you would have told me last week on Thursday afternoon that I’d be winning by a six-shot margin this week, I would not have believed you because of how bad I played.
“Hell of an effort, and just what a Sunday.”
Entering the day with a two-stroke lead, Rahm opened with a par, then drove the 318-yard par-4 second, where he two-putted from 66 feet for birdie.
Power-hitting
He followed by driving the green again, this time at the 390-yard par-4 third, his brilliant tee shot finishing inside three feet for eagle.
Birdie putts from 14 feet and 20 feet on the next two holes extended his lead to six shots.
Meanwhile, his Legion XIII teammate Tyrrell Hatton, who started the day just two shots behind and playing in the final group with Rahm, suffered a double bogey at the drivable second hole and never really got going
“Jon obviously played amazing today,” said Hatton, who shot a 1 over 72 to tie for fifth. “He got off to just a perfect start, and yeah, unfortunately for me it ended up being a difficult day.”
Puig, however, kept the heat on with his own hot start that included birdies in three of his first four holes as well as an eagle at the par-5 seventh.
When Puig birdied the 10th, Rahm’s lead was down to three.
“I still think I had my chances, right, even with how good he started,” Puig said.
But Rahm followed a key par save at the 10th – he rolled in a 15-foot putt after a wayward drive forced him to scramble – with a birdie at the par-5 12th while Puig bogeyed the par-4 13th and 15th holes.
Breathing space
That gave Rahm ample breathing room down the stretch, allowing him the opportunity to enjoy the walk from tee to green at the par-3 18th, with fans reaching out to congratulate him on the well-received victory.
“That putt on the 10th hole was massive,” Rahm said.
“It’s just a moment that the scorecard doesn’t show. That six-shot lead could have been three fast and maybe one or two coming down the stretch.”
Meanwhile, Legion XIII was never really threatened on the team side, even if their LIV Golf-record 19-shot lead through 36 holes was reduced in half by the surging Fireballs.
The team victory was the ninth in the regular season for Legion XIII, tying them with the Crushers for most of any team.
Legion XIII entered the final round with a chance to sweep the individual podium, with Rahm, Hatton and Tom McKibbin starting in the top three.
As it turned out, Rahm shared the podium with his fellow Spaniards – and former Arizona State players – Puig and Josele Ballester of Fireballs.
“Seeing those two names up there, two friends, makes me want to beat them even more,” Rahm said of the young stars, “but also be cautious because I know exactly what they’re capable of.”
Mexico City podium placers Jon Rahm (centre), David Puig (right) and Josele Ballester, all of Spain, pose together after the final round at Club de Golf Chapultepec on Sunday. Image courtesy LIV Golf.
Best result
For Puig, the runner-up finish is his best result in LIV Golf. He and Rahm spend plenty of practice time together back home in Arizona where they live in the US.
“It’s just amazing to see us three in the top three,” Puig said. “Obviously we’re really good friends, all of us, and we see each other every week.
“Josele is kind of starting to get in that boat a little bit. But me and Jon, we spend, like, at least four or five days a week when we’re playing together and working out.
“It’s obviously great for me to have him around because he teaches me a lot of stuff.”
Said Rahm: “I think I spend more time with him than I do with my wife or my kids. Not surprised to see him up there.”
Ballester’s solo third is his second career podium finish; he tied for second last year in Chicago.
The 22-year-old was 3-over through his first nine holes in Thursday’s opening round before moving up the leaderboard.
“I didn’t feel that comfortable today, but I’m a great competitor, and I kind of kept it going and kept it interesting towards the end,” he said.
“Just didn’t execute, didn’t feel that comfortable. Maybe right now it’s a lot of negatives, but yeah, it’s been a great week overall.”
Said Rahm: “Josele, he is the one person that isn’t lacking in all kinds of firepower. Somebody so explosive yet so collected personality-wise is rare.”
DeChambeau withdraws
DeChambeau, who entered this week seeking to become the first LIV Golf player to win three consecutive tournaments, was forced to withdraw prior to the final round due to a wrist injury.
DeChambeau won the previous two LIV Golf tournaments via playoffs over Richard T. Lee in Singapore and Jon Rahm in South Africa. He played the first three rounds in Mexico City at 2 over.
The Crushers captain experienced discomfort in his wrist in Saturday’s third round and did not want to risk further injury.
“I’m going to take a few days to get evaluated and hope to be ready for LIV Golf Virginia,” DeChambeau noted in a social media post.
Reserve player Luis Carrera of Mexico filled DeChambeau’s spot in the Crushers’ lineup Sunday, shooting a 1-over 72.
For now, though, it’s the rest of the league that knows what Rahm is capable of – two wins, three solo seconds and a solo fifth in the first six tournaments this season as he marches to a third consecutive individual championship. (courtesy LIV Golf)
Leaderboards
Individual Top 10
1. (-21) – Jon Rahm, Legion XIII (65-67-67-64)
2. (-15) – David Puig, Fireballs GC (69-72-62-66)
3. (-14) – Josele Ballester, Fireballs GC (71-67-65-67)
4. (-12) – Scott Vincent, HyFlyers GC (67-71-65-69)
T5 (-11) – Branden Grace, Southern Guards GC (71-66-65-71); Thomas Detry, 4Aces GC (67-73-66-67); Tyrrell Hatton, Legion XIII (69-66-66-72); Tom McKibbin, Legion XIII (68-65-69-71); Matthew Wolff, RangeGoats GC (68-65-70-70)
T10 (-10) – Cameron Tringale, HyFlyers GC (74-68-66-66); Marc Leishman, Ripper GC (74-64-67-69)
Team Top 3
1. (-45) – Legion XIII (Rahm 65-67-67-64, Hatton 69-66-66-72, McKibbin 68-65-69-71, Surratt 73-70-69-70)
2. (-36) – Fireballs GC (Puig 69-72-62-66, Ballester 71-67-65-67, Masaveu 69-65-70-71, Garcia 75-74-70-67)
3. (-26) – Southern Guards GC (Grace 71-66-65-71, Burmester 68-73-65-70, Oosthuizen 73-68-68-66, Schwartzel 71-77-68-70)
Day 4 stats
Driving Distance: Matthew Wolff, 381.0-yard avg. Official measured drives taken only on two holes per round.
Longest Drive: David Puig, 388.7 (7th hole). Official measured drives taken only on holes 7 & 12.
Driving Accuracy: Charles Howell III, 78.57% (11 of 14)
Greens in Regulation: Victor Perez, 94.44% (17 of 18)
Scrambling: 7 players at 100%, led by Thomas Detry (6 of 6)
Fewest Putts: Cameron Tringale, Miguel Tabuena, 24
Bogey-free rounds: Jon Rahm (64), Joaquin Niemann (67)
Also read: Rahm stays ahead in Mexico City with Hatton hard on his heels
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