The 2024 season enjoyed by Jon Rahm is likely to divide some opinion as he went on to win the LIV Golf individual title while also having a really poor year in the majors.
Jon Rahm made a monumental decision ahead of the season, with the news that the Spaniard would be moving to LIV Golf and starting up his new Legion XIII team. He was arguably the first player potentially at the top of his game since Cam Smith to make the move.
And his form on LIV was extremely impressive. Rahm did not finish outside the top 10 all year as he also went on to win twice. He also clinched the individual title ahead of Joaquin Niemann.
However, his performance in the majors left a lot to be desired. Rahm’s Masters title defence proved to be a disappointment, while he missed the cut at the PGA Championship. He would miss the US Open through injury, before registering a top 10 at The Open Championship. However, he was never really in contention at Royal Troon.
Jon Rahm backed to be the favourite for 2025 major title
So he is a player with a point to prove in 2025. Of course, returning to Augusta National will bring plenty of happy memories. But it is another major where he is perhaps even better suited.
Speaking on The Smylie Show, Smylie Kaufman suggested that he would put Rahm at the top of his list to clinch the US Open at Oakmont.
“Xander’s record at US Opens is just ridiculous if you go and look at it, it’s like top 10 in his last eight years, yet to win one. Xander’s the guy that would be an obvious pick. But I really can’t get this out of my brain, and it’s Jon Rahm,” he said.
“I just feel like Jon Rahm at this golf course, for me, it seems like it’s going to be a match made in heaven. Just his ability to fade the golf ball into some of these really difficult and challenging greens, he drives it long and straight. Rahm, to me, is a player this course; Dustin Johnson won at this place back in ’16, so I just keep thinking that.”
Why Rahm may have reason to be disappointed with debut LIV Golf season
Rahm’s first major title came in the US Open as he triumphed at Torrey Pines back in 2021. The 30-year-old was tied for sixth after both the second and third rounds, before shooting a sublime 67 on Sunday to win by one over Louis Oosthuizen. He would birdie the last two holes to secure the victory.
But it is still not entirely clear whether moving to LIV will be good for his career – on the course at least. Ultimately, the format he plays most weeks is different to the one at the majors.
It helped Bryson DeChambeau, who found a way to peak at three of the majors in 2024. But Rahm is still working to find that formula.
In fact, Rahm winning just twice on LIV was labelled ‘ridiculous’, as it was felt that he should be winning a lot more often given the lack of depth within the league.
And if Rahm views his year predominantly through the prism of how he performed in the majors, then he definitely needs a bounce back season in 2025.
Thankfully, at least two of the first three majors of 2025 appear to provide fantastic opportunities.
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