Jon Rahm is back. The Spanish star — one of the most naturally gifted golfers of his generation — claimed the LIV Golf Hong Kong title in March, his third win on the breakaway league and his first individual title since 2024. The victory was a commanding one, confirming that Rahm has rediscovered the form that made him one of the most feared competitors in world golf, and arriving at the perfect moment as he prepares for a Masters title defence — he won at Augusta in 2023 — at what looks set to be one of the most hotly contested editions in recent years.
The win also propelled his 4Aces GC team to their first tournament victory in nearly three years — a result that carried additional significance in the LIV format, where team competition runs alongside individual standings throughout the season.
Rahm’s Road Back to the Winner’s Circle
Jon Rahm’s move to LIV Golf in late 2023 was one of the most significant transfer stories in the sport’s history. The world’s then-top-ranked player choosing to leave the PGA Tour for the Saudi-backed breakaway league sent shockwaves through professional golf and sparked intense debate about the future direction of the sport.
His first season on LIV produced some strong results but not the dominant individual performances many expected from a player of his calibre. Questions were asked — fairly or otherwise — about whether the competitive environment of LIV was providing the stimulus he needed to maintain the sharpness that had brought him to World No. 1.
The Hong Kong victory puts those questions firmly to rest. Rahm played four rounds of exceptional golf across the extended 72-hole format to claim the title convincingly, demonstrating the full range of his game — driving, iron play, short game, and putting — across conditions that tested every aspect of a player’s skill set.
What the Victory Reveals About His Game
Beyond the result itself, what was striking about Rahm’s Hong Kong performance was the quality and variety of his play. He was not simply outdriving the field or riding a hot putter — he was making good decisions under pressure, managing his game intelligently, and producing shots when the tournament demanded them.
This is the version of Rahm that won the 2021 US Open and the 2023 Masters — a player who combines elite technical skills with the tactical maturity and competitive resilience to win major championships. That version of Rahm, fully operational and apparently in peak form, is a very serious problem for his rivals as the first major of 2026 approaches.
4Aces GC: A Team Victory Three Years in the Making
The team element of the Hong Kong result deserves its own mention. 4Aces GC — one of the original LIV franchises and historically one of the league’s strongest teams — had gone nearly three years without a tournament victory before Rahm helped deliver this result in Hong Kong. For a team that was once the benchmark for LIV excellence, the return to the winner’s column was an important statement of renewed collective purpose.
The 2026 LIV format, with its expanded 57-player field and 72-hole competition, has given teams more opportunity to showcase their depth and consistency across full tournament week. 4Aces’ Hong Kong victory suggests they have the squad to compete at the top throughout the expanded season.
Rahm and DeChambeau: A Rivalry at Augusta?
With Bryson DeChambeau having just won back-to-back LIV events including South Africa, and Rahm fresh from his Hong Kong title, both men arrive at Augusta National carrying exceptional momentum. The prospect of these two LIV stars — alongside PGA Tour players Scottie Scheffler and defending champion Rory McIlroy — contending for the green jacket makes for a compelling Masters narrative.
Rahm has always maintained that Augusta National is one of his favourite courses — the type of track that rewards precision, creativity, and course management over raw power. His 2023 win there was masterful, and he will arrive in 2026 with both the experience of a previous victory and the confidence of a player who has just won on the world stage.
With less than three weeks until the Masters begins on April 9, Rahm’s Hong Kong victory couldn’t have been better timed. The Spaniard is ready. Augusta awaits.
