Jon Rahm expects to have to win the final counting LIV Golf League event to claim the individual championship in his debut season after losing out to Brooks Koepka on Sunday.
Koepka beat Rahm at the first extra hole of a play-off to win at Greenbrier and become the first player to claim five tournaments on the LIV Golf circuit.
Rahm has had the better of the campaign, however, and has now edged ahead of long-time leader Joaquin Niemann in the standings heading into next month’s deciding event in Chicago.
“Listen, beating Joaquin, I’m probably going to need to win. He’s going to be up there. I’m going to need another good week, and hopefully get it done,” he said.
“There’s a lot to take from that. It stings a little bit more than I would like it to. But there’s still obviously a lot of good things to think about. But right now it hurts more than anything.”
Niemann, who is three points back and the only other player in contention for the $18m first prize, finished tied for 15th, eight shots off Koepka and Rahm’s 19 under par scores.
Koepka has failed to hit the heights of previous years but he could yet bag the team title, with his Smash GC winning at Greenbrier and climbing to fourth in the standings.
The American also had the satisfaction of getting one over on long-time rival Rahm, who beat him to the 2023 Masters.
“I’ve played with Jon a lot over the last few years, and it’s fun to watch him play. He’s definitely gotten the better of me the last couple years, so it was nice to get one back on him,” he said.
“I feel like this year hasn’t been very good. It’s nice to try to end it on a high note. Obviously we’ve got two events left [of team points], so we’ll see what we can do.”
English veteran Richard Bland, winner of two senior majors this year, briefly led at Greenbrier before finishing tied for fourth with Marc Leishman, one shot behind Jason Kokrak.
Compatriot Tyrrell Hatton finished tied for 25th, the first time he has failed to score points in his debut season in the LIV Golf League.