Spain’s Jon Rahm fired four birdies – including a 12-footer at the 17th – to win LIV Golf Chicago on Sunday and clinch the Saudi-backed circuit’s individual season title worth $18 million.
The two-time major winner from Spain, who made the jump to the breakaway league last December, captured his second victory in the past three events, sandwiched around a runner-up finish to Brooks Koepka in a playoff at LIV Golf Greenbrier in August.
Only rival
Rahm, who hasn’t finished outside the top 10 in 11 events, arrived at Bolingbrook Golf Course near Chicago this week with Joaquin Niemann – a two-time winner this season – his only rival for the season title.
After a six-under-par second round on Saturday, Rahm took a one-shot lead over compatriot Sergio Garcia into the final round, with Niemann three adrift and needing to finish in front of Rahm to bag the individual champion’s bonus.
Rahm had birdies at the third, sixth and 10th holes, and after letting a couple of birdie chances go begging, he sealed it with his birdie at 17, carding a four-under final round for a 54-hole total of 11-under par.
“I woke up really nervous today,” Rahm said.
“I wanted to do a really good show and get it over the line. Just really happy I played as good as I did.
“To go bogey-free on the weekend, one bogey all tournament, it’s quite spectacular,” he said.
“I’m very proud of the putt on 17, which made 18 a lot, a lot, easier.”
In addition to his $18 million champion’s bonus he bagged $4 million for the tournament win.
He finished three shots better than Niemann, whose four-under final gave him an eight-under total that left him tied for second with Garcia.
The LIV season concludes next week with the team championship in Dallas.
After that, Rahm has his sights set on playing a trio of DP World Tour events to maintain his Ryder Cup eligibility.
He said on Wednesday he was unwilling to pay the fines levied by the DP World Tour on golfers who fail to obtain releases to play in LIV events that conflict with tour tournaments.
Rahm has reportedly appealed the fines, and as that process plays out would be eligible to tee up at the Spanish Open later this month.
He also wants to play the Andalucia Masters and the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
South African quartet struggled
Meanwhile, it was a forgettable tournament for the all-South African Stinger GC team at LIV Golf Chicago.
Louis Oosthuizen was the top finisher in a tie for 30th on 1-over par which was good enough for a $162 500 (R2.87 million) payday.
Branden Grace finished a shot further adrift in a tie for 34th and banked $144 000 (R2.54 million).
Dean Burmester and Charl Schwartzel tied for 42nd in the 54-player field on 4-over par and each earned $126 200 (R2.23 million).
In the team competition, Stinger GC finished 13th – and last.
Individual prize money
| Position | Player | Score | Earnings |
| 1 | Jon Rahm | -11 | $4,000,000 |
| T2 | Joaquín Niemann | -8 | $1,875,000 |
| T2 | Sergio Garcia | -8 | $1,875,000 |
| 4 | Tyrrell Hatton | -7 | $1,000,000 |
| 5 | Ian Poulter | -6 | $800,000 |
| T6 | Henrik Stenson | -5 | $534,500 |
| T6 | Anirban Lahiri | -5 | $534,500 |
| T6 | Bryson DeChambeau | -5 | $534,500 |
| T6 | Lucas Herbert | -5 | $534,500 |
| T6 | Brooks Koepka | -5 | $534,500 |
| T11 | Abraham Ancer | -4 | $370,000 |
| T11 | Thomas Pieters | -4 | $370,000 |
| T13 | Harold Varner III | -3 | $330,000 |
| T13 | Paul Casey | -3 | $330,000 |
| T15 | Talor Gooch | -2 | $273,000 |
| T15 | Jinichiro Kozuma | -2 | $273,000 |
| T15 | Peter Uihlein | -2 | $273,000 |
| T15 | Richard Bland | -2 | $273,000 |
| T15 | Kalle Samooja | -2 | $273,000 |
| T20 | Sebastián Muñoz | -1 | $230,000 |
| T20 | David Puig | -1 | $230,000 |
| T20 | Carlos Ortiz | -1 | $230,000 |
| T23 | Kieran Vincent | E | $190,715 |
| T23 | Graeme McDowell | E | $190,715 |
| T23 | Phil Mickelson | E | $190,715 |
| T23 | Matt Jones | E | $190,715 |
| T23 | Kevin Na | E | $190,715 |
| T23 | Scott Vincent | E | $190,715 |
| T23 | Adrian Meronk | E | $190,715 |
| T30 | Brendan Steele | 1 | $162,500 |
| T30 | Louis Oosthuizen | 1 | $162,500 |
| T30 | Patrick Reed | 1 | $162,500 |
| T30 | Danny Lee | 1 | $162,500 |
| T34 | Cameron Tringale | 2 | $144,000 |
| T34 | Marc Leishman | 2 | $144,000 |
| T34 | Branden Grace | 2 | $144,000 |
| T34 | Martin Kaymer | 2 | $144,000 |
| T34 | Sam Horsfield | 2 | $144,000 |
| T34 | Dustin Johnson | 2 | $144,000 |
| T40 | Andy Ogletree | 3 | $134,000 |
| T40 | Eugenio Chacarra | 3 | $134,000 |
| T42 | Bubba Watson | 4 | $126,200 |
| T42 | Anthony Kim | 4 | $126,200 |
| T42 | Charles Howell III | 4 | $126,200 |
| T42 | Dean Burmester | 4 | $126,200 |
| T42 | Charl Schwartzel | 4 | $126,200 |
| T47 | Matthew Wolff | 5 | $90,750 |
| T47 | Pat Perez | 5 | $90,750 |
| T47 | Lee Westwood | 5 | $90,750 |
| T47 | Mito Pereira | 5 | $90,750 |
| 51 | Jason Kokrak | 6 | $60,000 |
| 52 | Cameron Smith | 10 | $50,000 |
| 53 | Hudson Swafford | 13 | $50,000 |
| 54 | Caleb Surratt | 18 | $50,000 |
Team prize money
| Position | Team | Score | Earnings |
| 1 | Crushers GC | -14 | $3,000,000 |
| 2 | Legion XIII | -13 | $1,500,000 |
| 3 | Fireballs GC | -12 | $500,000 |
