LIV Golf change that would’ve cost Jon Rahm title gets his approval | Golf | Sport
Jon Rahm has backed a potential rule change that would have denied him last year’s LIV Golf individual championship. The Spaniard claimed top spot for the second consecutive year in 2025, remarkably without securing a single tournament victory. Rahm’s nearest challenger, Joaquin Niemann, triumphed in Adelaide, Singapore, Mexico City, Virginia and Britain, yet the Chilean still fell short of claiming the overall crown.
Rahm’s achievement was founded on remarkable consistency as he finished inside the top 10 in all but one of his 13 outings on the Saudi-backed circuit. Bryson DeChambeau secured third place in the final standings. This anomaly has sparked demands for tournament victories to carry greater significance over steady performances. Rahm supports such a revision, acknowledging his latest individual crown felt somewhat hollow.
Speaking on the Subpar podcast, he said: “I would say that winning the individual classification doesn’t carry the same weight as last year, without having won, especially considering that Joaquin won five times.
“You could argue that maybe he deserved it more. [But] I’m not in charge of the points system.”
When questioned whether the scoring framework would be amended to reward tournament triumphs, he said: “I hope so. I know I was more consistent, but if someone wins more than a third of the tournaments, they should probably take the win even if I finished second every week, which was not the case.”
Rahm said Niemann had missed out on the title because of “few bad weeks” but expects changes to be implemented. He added: “It’s a bit of a mixed feeling, but I think they’re changing it.”
The 31-year-old also shared his thoughts on the shift from 54-hole to 72-hole tournaments, one of several aspects that troubled golfing traditionalists after LIV’s launch in 2022. Rahm believes it would be “better for the best players.”
He also disclosed that LIV would expand the number of players facing relegation from the tour this year to 11. Last year saw six players, including Anthony Kim and Henrik Stenson, drop out.
This strategy could help LIV obtain World Golf Ranking recognition, which it has been excluded from since its inception. Additionally, the tournament field size will increase from 54 to 57 competitors.
Meanwhile, five-time major winner Brooks Koepka has submitted a fresh application for PGA Tour membership following his departure from LIV last month. The 35-year-old terminated his contract a year ahead of schedule, expressing his wish to remain closer to home and dedicate more time to his family.
Players returning from LIV normally face a mandatory one-year ban, though Koepka has reportedly approached the PGA Tour seeking immediate reinstatement. He must complete a disciplinary procedure, which will involve consultation with the PGA Tour policy board, featuring player-director Tiger Woods and the Future Competition committee, where Woods also serves. The ultimate decision is expected to be made by new chief executive Brian Rolapp.
