After more than a year of close calls, Jon Rahm returned to the winner’s circle with a 23-under par at LIV Golf Hong Kong on Sunday. The former world No. 1 won by three strokes over Thomas Detrie for his first win since the LIV Golf Chicago in late 2024, which he described as “a huge relief.”
“That’s the only way I can explain it,” Rahm explained. “In the past I have been overjoyed with wins, but this time it feels like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. That’s all I can say.
“It was a good round. I played great golf. It’s tough to get close, but I’m playing really, really good golf. I just had to be patient and believe it was going to happen. So yeah, I did that and took advantage of the opportunity as much as I could today.”
Rahm has played in 26 matches and finished runner-up seven times since his last win, including both LIV Golf Riyadh and LIV Golf Adelaide to open the 2026 season. He entered the final round in Adelaide, Australia with a five-shot lead over Bryson DeChambeau, but was overtaken by Anthony Kim.
Rahm says he learned from the experience: Even deep into a prestigious career, evolution is necessary.
“I was a little too nervous because I hadn’t won in a while,” Rahm said. “I think I had a four-stroke lead going into the fifth hole, and even though I had a chance to birdie, I was just too hesitant and maybe didn’t put as much effort into each shot as I should have. I wasn’t at my best swing-wise that day, but there were things I could have done better than what I did.”
“That’s what I did today. I went to the first tee and said to myself, ‘No matter what happens, I’m going to give it 100% every step of the way today. Whatever shot I make, I’m going to give it 100%. If I make a mistake, I’ll make a mistake, but it’s not because I’m not committed to the decision.’ I applied that and luckily it worked out for me.”
Rahm became the 2026 LIV Golf Player of the Year after losing to just two players in the first three tournaments of the season. In fact, far away. His play in Hong Kong is just further proof. He shared the 54-hole lead with Harold Berner III and Detley at 17 under, closing the gap on his rival almost immediately.
Rahm extended his lead with four birdies in the first eight holes, and with four straight from holes 13 to 16, Rahm erased any doubts about his ability to close. His effort Sunday, with a final round of 64, was more than enough to earn him his first title of 2026 and be considered among the true major championship contenders heading into this April’s Masters.
Rahm had the fourth-best odds to win at 16-1 at Augusta National Golf Club, according to DraftKings Sportsbook.
