As the regular season of 2024 winds down, Jon Rahm finds himself on the brink of a dual victory at the LIV Golf Chicago, poised not just to win the tournament but to clinch the season-long Individual Championship.
Rahm, leading the charge as Legion XIII’s captain, distanced himself further in the standings with a stellar 6-under 64, maintaining a one-shot edge over Fireballs GC’s Sergio Garcia and a critical three-shot lead over his closest rival in the championship race, Joaquin Niemann.
Despite the pressures of the leaderboard, Rahm remains focused, emphasising the importance of staying present in the tournament to ensure all other accolades follow. “If I manage to clinch the win tomorrow, I’ll walk away with not just one, but two victories from this venue,” Rahm shared after his bogey-free performance.
The final day at Bolingbrook Golf Club promises not only to determine individual glory but also to finalise the standings for team seedings and statuses before heading into the Dallas Team Championship. Bryson DeChambeau’s Crushers GC has already secured a top seed, sharing the tournament lead with Cleeks GC.
The day saw Rahm overtaking Niemann early during their consecutive round together, a dynamic that turned what could have been a routine round into a decisive one for the championship.
While Niemann rallied late in the game to close the gap, Rahmโs lead might just be insurmountable if he continues his current form.
โIt’s a championship within a championship,โ Rahm said. โIt’s a weird combination, but yeah, you’re definitely aware of it every step of the way, especially having played with him the first two rounds.
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โI think we’ve both had a lot of fun. Probably I had a little bit more fun today than he did, but he’s a fantastic player, and tomorrow should be a really fun day.โ
Garcia, too, is eyeing a spot at the top, having ascended the leaderboard with a 65, hoping to surpass Rahmโs teammate Tyrrell Hatton for a lucrative third-place finish in the Individual Championship.
โIt’s something that obviously you’re trying to achieve,โ said Garcia, who started the week fourth in points, โand it’s nice for me to see myself up there throughout the whole year.โ
Meanwhile, Hatton found his stride late in the game, highlighted by a spectacular ace, providing him with a momentum boost into the final round.
Hatton recorded the 13th ace of his career and the eighth in LIV Golf history at the 164-yard island green sixth hole.ย
โI think that’s the first one that they actually got on camera, so that’s cool,โ Hatton said. โI’ll enjoy watching that one back.
Yeah, just a gripped down 9-under around 160 yards and landed just short and trickled in and left side.โ
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The ace was sandwiched between two birdies and proved very timely, as Hatton rallied to shoot 65 and play his way back into contention in hopes of maintaining third place in the Individual points standings.ย
โThe first probably 27 to 29 holes of this tournament haven’t been particularly enjoyable,โ said Hatton, who is tied for 12th at 2 under, four shots behind Garcia. โNice to finish with some momentum and we’ll try our best to go out there tomorrow and have a good day.โ
With various narratives unfoldingโBrooks Koepkaโs attempt to rebound from a shaky start, Ian Poulterโs pursuit of a late-career highlight, and the overarching battle for the individual titleโthe stage is set for a dramatic conclusion to what has been a fiercely contested season.
Rahm, focused yet aware of the stakes, summed it up: โTomorrowโs about enjoying the game and hopefully taking a comfortable lead into the final stretch. Itโs set to be a thrilling day, regardless.โ
As Bolingbrook braces for what could be a historic day, all eyes will be on Rahm, who looks to not only secure his win but also assert his dominance in a season that has seen its fair share of twists and turns.
LOCK ZONE PROJECTIONS:ย No players are currently projected to move from the Open Zone to the Lock Zone, which are the top 24 players in points who will have guaranteed spots in the 2025 LIV Golf League.ย
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But Ripper GCโs Lucas Herbert is close to breaking through. He enters Sundayโs final round tied for seventh at 3 under and is currently projected for 25th.
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DROP ZONE PROJECTIONS:ย Players ranked 49th and below in points after Sunday will be relegated out of the league and must earn their way back in during the offseason.
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Cleeks GCโs Kalle Samooja started the week in 53rd, but heโs now projected to finish 43rd. Samooja, who earned his LIV Golf spot this year through the Promotions tournament, is tied for seventh at 3 under.
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Projected to fall into the Drop Zone is 4Aces GCโs Pat Perez. He started the week on the bubble at 48th but is projected to 49th. Perez starts the final round at 7 over and is 49th on the tournament leaderboard.
