Jon Rahm, former world No. 1 and two-time major champion, experienced a dramatic back nine at the PGA Championship that perfectly captured the complex emotions he’s grappling with as a member of the LIV Golf tour.
Rahm’s final round at Quail Hollow started quietly. His front nine featured seven pars in a row, with just one birdie on the eighth hole after a tee shot went over the green.
Despite the slow start, Rahm was swinging well, keeping himself in the tournament with solid golf.
The excitement began on the back nine. Birdies on the 10th and 11th holes brought Rahm to nine under par, tying him with Scottie Scheffler for the lead. For a brief moment, it looked like Rahm might capture another major title.
But the momentum quickly unraveled – Rahm followed those birdies with a bogey and then two double bogeys, dropping five shots in a matter of holes and ultimately slipping to a tie for eighth place.
H2: Rahm doesn’t seem as passionate as he used to be
After the round, Kyle Porter of Normal Sport asked Rahm how close the day felt to being “really special.” Rahm’s answer revealed a bittersweet truth: “It was really close. God, it’s been a while since I had that much fun on a golf course, 15 holes.”
He noted that even on the first seven holes, when the scoring was pedestrian, he was swinging well and playing quality golf.
Notably absent from Rahm’s post-round comments was any mention of the LIV Golf tour, which he joined for a reported $350 million. Though Rahm has been consistent on that circuit – finishing in the top 10 in 19 straight invitationals – his words suggest that the thrill and competitive intensity of PGA majors remain unmatched. The fun and challenge of competing for a major title, he implied, is something he hasn’t felt on LIV Golf.
This tournament also marked a unique moment for Rahm.
“I think this is the first time I’ve been in position to win a major, that close, and haven’t done it,” he said, adding that he felt “a little embarrassed” by how he finished.
It was a rare stumble for a player who previously won the 2021 U.S. Open and the 2023 Masters and finished second at the 2023 British Open.
Rahm’s reflections expose a tension many athletes face: the lure of lucrative contracts versus the intangible rewards of fierce competition and glory on the biggest stages. Despite the financial security LIV Golf provides, the hunger for major championship success and the rush that comes with it still burns brightly in Rahm.
As he moves forward in his career, the golf world will be watching closely. Will Rahm find a way to reconcile his current path with the desire to compete at the highest level? His honest and heartfelt comments from Quail Hollow suggest the answer might be complicated.
For now, Rahm’s back nine at the PGA Championship stands as a vivid reminder that, beyond the money and the tours, the true spirit of the game lies in those thrilling moments of battle and opportunity – moments he clearly still cherishes deeply.
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