Did Jon Rahm's $18m Win Expose A Fault In LIV Golf's Point System?

Jon Rahm beat five-time winner Joaquin Niemann to the individual title and $18m bonus despite not winning a tournament in 2025

Jon Rahm with the Individual Championship trophy
(Image credit: Getty Images)

I've previously written that LIV Golf gets it right while the FedEx Cup Playoffs format is broken, but this year's season-long race may have exposed a fault in the Saudi-backed tour's points system.

That's because Jon Rahm edged out Joaquin Niemann for the individual title by a margin of just three points despite failing to win a tournament this season...all the while Niemann won five.

"You need a lot of coincidences to go on exactly with the year Joaquín had. He's won five times; he's played incredible golf. One could argue he was probably the more deserving guy to win this.

Joaquin Niemann with the LIV Golf UK trophy

(Image credit: Getty Images)

LIV Golf points are only earned for a top 24 finish and Niemann failed to pick up points in two of the 13 events this season, with Rahm adding to his total in every single event. The Spaniard's lowest number of points earned was 7.5 from his T11 finish in Dallas.

Rahm managed 12 top-10s in his 13 events, with his worst finish being that T11 in Texas so he clearly was the most consistent player on the circuit - although some will feel that Niemann's five victories deserved more of a reward.

On paper, Rahm earned points in every single event, finished inside the top 11 in all 13 of his tournaments and was the most consistent player on the circuit - so perhaps there is nothing wrong with him taking the title.

Niemann did top the LIV Golf Money List, however, earning over $8.5m more than Rahm in regular earnings so the points vs money earned tallies don't quite match up.

Image of Joaquin Niemann

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Aside from his five wins, Niemann only managed one other top-10, coming in the final event, so his 'lack' of consistency is ultimately what left him just three points shy of Rahm at the end of the season.

"I don't know what's the right way to do it. I know it was obviously three points apart. I could have played better today, this week, or probably last week I could have played a little bit better," Niemann said.

"But Jon just proved how good he is and how good he is in these moments. Just like he did last week, he got in a playoff, and also this week.

"That just shows how good he is of a golfer. It's actually exciting for me to come back next year and try to beat him again. Well, for the first time."

He may feel slightly hard done by that a win only earns 10 more points than second-place but at the end of the day Jon Rahm can now call himself LIV's first ever back-to-back individual champion.

The Spaniard has now won the title in each of his first two seasons, where he has amassed prize money of more than $50m.

Jon Rahm vs Joaquin Niemann: 2025 LIV Golf finishes

A table showing Jon Rahm vs Joaquin Niemann's LIV Golf results in 2025 and the total points earned

(Image credit: Future)

Should LIV's points system be tweaked or is Jon Rahm the worthy champion? Let us know in the comments section below

Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, X and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 and 2025 Masters from Augusta National and was there by the 18th green to watch Rory McIlroy complete the career grand slam. He has also covered five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!

Elliott is currently playing:

Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

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