Jon Rahm has tumbled out of golf’s top 50 players for the first time in seven years – but the rankings don’t tell the whole story.
The Spanish star, who was World No.1 just two years ago, now sits at 52nd in the Official World Golf Rankings. It’s a dramatic fall for last year’s Masters champion.
The reason? His move to LIV Golf.
Rahm jumped to the Saudi-backed tour in late 2023 in a deal worth hundreds of millions, when he was ranked 3rd in the world. Since LIV Golf doesn’t get ranking points, his position has been in free fall.
He’s not alone. Cameron Smith, who joined LIV right after winning The Open in 2022, has dropped from 2nd to 96th in the world.
“It’s wrong and not fair,” Rahm said recently about LIV Golf being shut out of the ranking system.
But here’s the thing – Rahm is still one of the best golfers on the planet. Just look at other ranking systems that do count LIV events:
Data Golf has him at 4th in the world, behind only Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele.
The Universal Golf Rankings puts him even higher – at 3rd globally.
Rahm proved his worth in his first LIV season, winning two tournaments and taking home an $18 million bonus for finishing first in the individual standings.
His major championship results were mixed in 2023:
– 45th at The Masters
– Missed cut at the PGA Championship
– 7th at The Open
– Skipped the US Open due to injury
The good news for Rahm? His major championship spots are secure for years to come. His Masters win last year means he can play at Augusta National for life, and he’s qualified for the other majors well into the future.
So while the official rankings might not show it, Jon Rahm remains one of golf’s elite players. The numbers just depend on who’s doing the counting.
