Rahm consoles himself with $2 million after bogey-bogey finish costs him playoff spot on LIV Golf debut
Captain Jon Rahm of Legion XIII GC seen on the 18th green during the final round of the LIV Golf Mayakoba at the El Camaleón Golf Course on Sunday, February 04, 2024 in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. (Photo by Doug DeFelice/LIV Golf)
Jon Rahm was gutted to bogey his final two holes and miss out on a chance to mark his move to LIV Golf with a playoff spot in the opening event in Mexico.
But the Spaniard, who is understood to have received a massive upfront payment to sign for the upstart league, could console himself with prize money of $2 million after he tied for third individually and his Legion XIII team claimed the team prize in the LIV Golf Mayakoba event.
The Spaniard won $1.25 million after he closed with a one-under 70 to share third with South Africa’s Dean Burmester, two strokes outside a playoff that saw Joaquin Niemann beat Sergio Garcia on the fourth extra hole of a play-off that took place in near darkness.
The Chilean missed a birdie putt on the 18th to win in regulation before claiming the title with a birdie at the par-four finishing hole after they had parred it the first three times.
Niemann and Garcia had been offered the chance to play the fourth play-off hole on Monday, but both agreed to play on despite rapidly fading light.
"At the first playoff hole, I didn't think it was going to get too dark," Niemann said.
"I thought it was going to take a little bit [longer]. You never know what's going to happen, but I was expecting to go as fast as I could.
"I just told myself to give myself a chance and ended up hitting a good shot and making that putt, which was awesome."
Rahm, whose four-year deal with LIV Golf could see him earn $600 million, snap-hooked an iron into a hazard at the 17th and then flubbed a fairway bunker shot at the 18th.
However, teammate Tyrrell Hatton closed with a 64 to finish tied eighth and with Caleb Surratt tied 11th on his professional debut after a closing 68 and Kieran Vincent tied 38th, his Legion XIII team won the team prize by four shots from Bryson DeChambeau’s Crushers and split another $3 million.
“It feels great,” said Rahm, who picked up another $750,000 as his share of the team prize. “It's very nice in a day in which in any normal tournament I probably would have been upset at my finish to actually have something to celebrate, and that is one of the big reasons why I decided to transition, to share the stage with those three guys, to share the golf course with all the other teams and compete for something else is what it's all about. It means a lot.”
He added: "I'm proud of everybody. You know, like you said, this team was just assembled Monday, I believe Sunday or Monday, and we come in, and we made an impact, and everything was meant for that.
“So, we want to make an impact, and everybody knows we are a force to be reckoned with.”
Graeme McDowell, who holed his approach for an eagle two at the sixth in a closing one-over 73, tied for 43rd in four-over.
The Portrush man picked up an individual payment of $126,250 but nothing in the team event on his debut with Brooks Koepka’s Smash GC, who finished seventh.
The next LIV Golf event takes place at Las Vegas Country Club from Thursday to Saturday this week to avoid a clash with the Super Bowl, which will be played at nearby Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada on Sunday.
