Jon Rahm compares latest LIV Golf achievement to scaling Mt. Everest

Newly-crowned LIV Golf individual champion Jon Rahm sparked a backlash after likening his latest achievement on the PIF-backed breakaway to climbing Mount Everest. 

Rahm clipped LIV's season-long points race for the second year running despite not even winning a tournament. 

The Spaniard shot an 11-under 60 last week at Chatham Hill in Indianapolis to finish on 22-under par alongside Sebastian Munoz in LIV's penultimate event of the 2025 campaign. 

Despite losing in a playoff to the Colombian - also a former PGA Tour member - the result ensured he did enough to pip Chile's Joaquin Niemann to the season-long award, just as he did in 2024. 

Whether or not Rahm 'deserved' to win the race has been widely debated over the last 24 hours given Niemann won five times (Adelaide, Singapore, Mexico City, Virginia, United Kingdom). 

It should be noted that Rahm has finished inside the top 10 in all but one of his 13 appearances on LIV this year. He was also a pillar of consistency during his maiden season. 

Rahm acknowledge his victory may have not been deserving in the immediate aftermath of being doused with champagne and collecting a gaudy ring filled with gems. 

He also admitted his achievement felt 'bittersweet'. 

After reflecting on what transpired, Rahm took to X on 18 August where opened up on his 'wild ride' of a season. 

"I'm learning that it's the smaller victories that mean the most," Rahm said. 

"Those short term goals that may seem impossible in the moment but feel like you just climbed Mt Everest when you're done. That was yesterday. 

"Luckily, I'm just crazy enough to believe the impossible is still possible. Maybe I'm just stubborn that way."

He added:  "No individual wins this year is disappointing, make no mistake, but I'm so proud of how we played this year, I gave it my all in every shot and never gave up. 

"Fortunately for me, there is always a new event and new goals and this week I can't wait to go to war with my Legion XIII crew."

Rahm was alluding to this week's Team Championship. 

As expected, Rahm's post sparked a flurry of responses, with some heavily criticising the two-time major champion. 

"It's hard to believe you took a bag of money to have this life," one X user said. "What a waste of what was going to be an amazing legacy. Sad."

Another added: "What an absolute joke. How do you 'win' something when you actually never won? This has to be the stupidest sporting league in the universe."

@MiguelVol995 twisted the knife: "Bro just compared winning a Mickey Mouse league to climbing Mt. Everest. So embarrassing."