‘It doesn't seem fair’ - Rahm hits out at limited world ranking point for LIV
Captain Jon Rahm of Legion XIII practices his shot before the first round of the LIV Golf Riyadh at Riyadh Golf Club on Wednesday, February 04, 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Pedro Salado/LIV Golf)
Jon Rahm opened his season with a bogey-free 67 but he was less than happy about LIV Golf receiving only limited points in the Official World Golf Ranking.
The reigning LIV Individual champion made five birdies in the league’s first 72-hole event in Riyadh to trail new recruit Thomas Detry of Belgium and American Peter Uihlein by just two strokes on five-under-par.
While he welcomed the OWGR’s decision to award the Saudi-backed tour world ranking points for the first time, he doesn’t believe it’s “fair” that only the top 10 finishers will be allocated points each week.
“Yeah, it's fantastic that we're getting points,” Rahm at Riyadh Golf Club, where he was in a six-way tie for fourth with Ben An, Talor Gooch, Sebastian Muñoz and his Legion XIII teammate Tyrrell Hatton.
“It's fantastic that we're being recognised in a way. With that said, I don't like how we're not being treated the same as every other tour.
“It seems like the rules that have been in place don’t really apply to us, with only 10 of us getting points, it doesn't seem fair.
“There’s small fields out there throughout the course of the year that get full points, or full players get points, right? So there's work to be done.”
Rahm echoed the testy statement issued by LIV Golf just minutes after Tuesday’s announcement by the OWGR, in which the Saudi-funded league complained that “limiting points to only the top 10 finishers disproportionately harms players who consistently perform at a high level but finish just outside that threshold…”
Rahm said: “While it's good for some people, it could cause some players to actually lose world ranking points instead of gain them because finishing 11th is basically a missed cut and we're already adding to the divisor.
“But I'm thankful that I would say LIV Golf got their foot on the door, and there's a possibility for us to walk in the room, and, you know, be recognised as a tour, as we should be.”
The OWGR pointed to significant flaws in LIV Golf’s model when deciding only to offer pointsto the top 10.
“This includes LIV Golf’s average field size of 57 for 2026 versus the minimum of 75 set out in OWGR Regulations.”
“Exclusively no-cut events”
“The restrictive pathways to join LIV Golf with two spots filled from the Asian Tour’s International Series and three from a ‘closed’ promotions event which does not offset the turnover of players exiting the league.”
“Self-selection of players with players being recruited rather than earning their place on the tour in many cases and, in recent days, the addition/removal of players to/from teams based on their nationality rather than for meritocratic reasons.”
Detry and Uihlein shot seven-under 65s under floodlights to lead by a shot from Australia’s Elvis Smylie while Torque GC — featuring Muñoz (67), Joaquin Niemann (68), Abraham Ancer (68) and Carlos Ortiz (70)— led the team standings by two strokes on 15-under par from Southern Guards’ Louis Oosthuizen, Dean Burmester, Branden Grace and Charl Schwartzel.
Legion XIII were third on 11 under after 67s for Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton, a 71 for Caleb Surrant and a 72 for Tom McKibbin, who made four birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey to lie joint 42nd in the 57-man field alongside Graeme McDowell.
“I felt like I played good golf and the only reason I could say I left some out there is because I hit some really poor wedge shots,” Rahm said of approaches to the first, eighth, ninth and 10th.
“But it's four shots that are not guaranteed I'm going to make a birdie, but I should be closer than 30 feet or off the green.”
As for the 72-hole format, which LIV is using for the first time this season, Rahm said it never crossed his mind.
“Honestly, I forget how many holes we're playing,” he said. “I forgot last year, forgot this year that it was four rounds.
“You start playing, you start playing. I've played four rounds the majority of my life, so it doesn't feel much different, but I think it does allow for if you have a poor start to have time to catch up. Didn't really think about it, no.”
McDowell made three birdies and three bogeys in level par effort for Team Smash, who lost Brooks Koepka to the PGA Tour in the offseason.
Team Smash were tied for fourth on 10-under with Detry’s 4Aces—the team Patrick Reed represented before opting not to renew his contract and start the journey back to the PGA Tour.
Bryson DeChabeau, who is arguably LIV Golf’s biggest draw, shot a four-under 68 to share tenth place.
