Golf insider criticises LIV ahead of season finale: "It doesn't make any sense"
Jon Rahm will go head-to-head with Joaquin Niemann for LIV Golf's individual title this weekend - but does that make any sense?
LIV Golf will crown its individual champion this weekend in Indianapolis.
Two-time major winner Jon Rahm will go head-to-head with Joaquin Niemann for the title.
The winner will receive the standard $18m bonus, plus a gaudy ring filled with gems and a QR code.
But several golf fans are confused as to why the 26-year-old Chilean hasn't mathematically wrapped up the title yet.
Niemann has won five times on LIV this year, while the Spaniard has had a quiet year by his standards and not stepped into the winner's circle once.
Yet there are multiple scenarios where Rahm could pip Niemann.
Does that make any sense?
Golf reporter Dan Rapaport doesn't think so and took LIV to task on this subject on the most recent edition of his podcast on Skratch.
"Jon Rahm can still win the individual crown, and I understand you get a certain amount of points for a certain amount of finishes," Rapaport said.
"I'm not a math guy, but Joaquin Niemann has won five out of the 12 LIV events this year. Jon Rahm has won zero. If Rahm wins the tournament and Niemann finishes third, Rahm wins the individual crown.
"Again, not a scientist, but if a guy wins five out of 12 tournaments, a guy who has won zero tournaments probably should not beat him in the season-long race."
He added: "And that's not even an anti-LIV thing, that's reporting on LIV as golf. I would say the same thing for the PGA Tour.
"If this is a season-long points list, it would be like someone having a chance to win the FedEx Cup before the playoffs, the regular season through the Wyndham, despite Scottie winning four times and the other guy winning once. It doesn't make any sense."
It's crazy to think Jon Rahm could finish as low as 7th at LIV Golf Indianapolis and still pip Joaquin Niemann to the Individual Championship should the Chilean have a complete blow out this week. That's despite Rahm not winning a single event and Niemann winning five times.
— Andy Roberts (@AndyRobertsGolf) August 12, 2025
The scenarios where Rahm could win title
Via LIV Golf
- If Niemann finishes first or second, he automatically wins the championship
- If Niemann finishes third or fourth, then Rahm must win the tournament to win the championship
- If Niemann finishes fifth, sixth, seventh or eighth, then Rahm must finish either first or second to win the championship
- If Niemann finishes ninth, 10th, 11th, 12th or 13th, then Rahm must finish third or better to win the championship
- If Niemann finishes 14th or 15th, then Rahm must finish fourth or better to win the championship
- If Niemann finishes 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th or 20th, then Rahm must finish fifth or better to win the championship
- If Niemann finishes 21st, 22nd, 23rd or 24th, then Rahm must finish sixth or better to win the championship
- If Niemann finishes outside the points at 25th or worse, then Rahm must finish seventh or better to win the championship
Place | Points |
1st | 40 |
2nd | 30 |
3rd | 24 |
4th | 18 |
5th | 16 |
6th | 14 |
7th | 13 |
8th | 12 |
9th | 11 |
10th | 10 |
11th | 8 |
12th | 7 |
13th | 6 |
14th | 5 |
15th | 4 |
16th | 3 |
17th | 3 |
18th | 2 |
19th | 2 |
20th | 2 |
21st | 1 |
22nd | 1 |
23rd | 1 |
24th | 1 |
Ben Smith joined the GolfMagic team in September 2021, initially as a content executive.
These days, he assumes the position of content manager.
