[Photos: Hector Vivas]
The most turbulent week in LIV Golf’s short history ended with far less drama when Jon Rahm won the league’s Mexico City event in a canter.
RELATED: Bryson DeChambeau withdraws from final round of LIV Golf Mexico
Rahm’s six-shot victory at Chapultepec Golf Club ended a week in which reports surfaced that LIV’s financiers, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, were on the verge of withdrawing financial backing after the 2026 season.
Those reports came after the Public Investment Fund released a new investment strategy.
“The 2026-30 strategy marks a natural evolution as PIF moves from a period of rapid growth and acceleration to a new phase of sustained value creation, with a strengthened focus on maximising impact, raising the efficiency of investments, applying the highest standards of governance, transparency and institutional excellence,” the PIF said in a release.
There was speculation about the future of the remaining eight events of LIV’s season before league sources told Golf Digest on Wednesday that funding and operations would continue for 2026.
Earlier in the week, during an interview with British broadcaster TNT, LIV Golf chief executive Scott O’Neil was asked about future funding. One of his answers included the line, “The reality is you’re funded through the season then you work like crazy to create a business and a business plan to keep us going.”
Before the final round, LIV posted to social media that it would return to Mexico City, with tickets to go on sale soon.
The overall future of the league did not seem to affect competitive play as Rahm strode easily to his second win of the season, which comes in addition to three runner-up finishes. Rahm, a former Masters and US Open champion, carded a bogey-free final round seven-under 64 to finish at 21-under. Rahm’s fellow Spaniard David Puig was 15-under, while their countryman Josele Ballester was third at 14-under.
Rahm’s 64 was set up by an astonishing 390-yard drive on the short par-4 third that nestled to tap-in distance for eagle. He never looked back.
390 YARDS TO 3 FEET 😱@JonRahmOfficial drives the green 390-yards away and sinks the eagle putt to lead by 4 🦅#LIVGolfMexicoCity | @LegionXIIIgc pic.twitter.com/b8EVFtdqky
— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) April 19, 2026
“Obviously, a massive bonus to hit a drive to tap-in in any conditions anywhere ever,” Rahm said. “That was huge, kind of freed me up a little bit to play the next few holes still aggressive because Puig was five or six under through six, seven holes.”
Rahm said he was in disbelief, given he opened last week’s Masters with a 78, battled just to make the cut at Augusta National.
“If you would have told me last week on Thursday afternoon that I’d be winning by a six-shot margin this week, I would not have believed you because of how bad I played,” Rahm said. “Hell of an effort, just what a Sunday.”
The former world No.1 said he was battling a swing issue that clicked before the final round at the Masters.
“Yeah, my caddie and I nearly got into a heated argument on Saturday on the putting green at Augusta when he was trying to explain something, and I wasn’t fully understanding,” Rahm said. “Once it clicked what he was trying to say, what I needed to work on that range session Saturday afternoon, it was so much better. Sunday at Augusta I played much better golf, it’s only gotten a little bit easier since then.
“It’s not always the easiest to have a swing thought while playing, but this one obviously seemed to work out.”
Given LIV Golf now receives Official World Golf Ranking points, Rahm is projected to move back towards the top 20.
Runner-up Puig, who also won the DP World Tour’s Australian PGA Championship in December, is within reach of a US Open exemption. The USGA will award spots to top points earners from LIV standings across 2025 and early 2026.
“With that second place, hopefully I’m a little closer to the top 60 on the OWGR as well, in case that exemption doesn’t come through,” Puig said. “But I think about it all the time. Playing majors is just amazing.”
While the final round delivered a comfortable win for Rahm, there was some late drama with Bryson DeChambeau withdrawing prior to the final round due to a wrist injury.
“I experienced some discomfort in my wrist during yesterday’s round,” DeChambeau said via social media. “Not how I wanted this week to go.
“I’m going to take a few days to get evaluated and hope to be ready for LIV Golf Virginia.”