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Two-time Chicago winner aspires to some local knowledge
Photographs by Matthew Harris/LIV Golf
This article appeared in the August 2025 edition of Chicago District Golfer.
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Jon Rahm celebrates winning the 2024 LIV Golf Chicago event at Bolingbrook Golf Club. He will look to defend his title Aug. 8-10.
One day, we can only hope, Jon Rahm will take selfies at The Bean. He’ll walk barefoot along Oak Street Beach. He’ll try to smooth out his golf tan in the bleachers at Wrigley before munching on Manchego at the Purple Pig. The man has earned a Ferris Bueller-caliber day off, replete with his own float in the Von Steuben Day Parade.
We remember when he did the impossible at Olympia Fields, sinking a sidehill 66-footer to trump Dustin Johnson at the 2020 BMW Championship.
We recall when he did the unlikely at Bolingbrook, rallying from a so-so 69 that left him seven shots behind Brooks Koepka to triumph at LIV Golf Chicago in 2024.
“Even apart from those two wins, I’ve had good memories from quite a few other events in Chicago,” Rahm said in an interview for the CDGA. “I played well at Conway Farms (T5 in the 2017 BMW Championship), I played well at Medinah (also T5, in 2019). The Chicago fans have always been incredible, very supportive. They love their golf and it’s a joy to play in front of them.”
Chicago fans wishing to see their beloved conquistador can return to the southwest ’burbs Aug. 8–10 for the 2025 LIV event. Bolingbrook played tougher than anyone could have imagined last year, with just 22 of 54 players bettering par.
“Friday was a tricky day; I was just trying not to lose too many shots,” Rahm recalled. “I came back with two really solid rounds (64-66) to end up with the win. The course was extremely firm, tough and windy. I’m hoping we get something similar again, because that was really fun to be a part of a golf course that difficult.”
In addition to emerging victorious at LIV Golf Chicago in 2024, Rahm claimed the 2020 BMW Championship at Olympia Fields Country Club.
As captain of the Legion XIII LIV Golf team, Rahm recruited an American named Caleb Surratt, the first All-American golfer at the University of Tennessee.
Surratt has plowed through his own Chicago winner, triumphing at the 2021 Western Junior at Onwentsia. But Bolingbrook took him by storm. Surratt shot 80-73-75 to finish last.
Fortunately, Rahm, his captain, didn’t howl.
“He doesn’t kick you when you’re down,” Surratt said.
Rahm felt nothing but love from the sun-splashed fans last year, saying: “We were playing a municipal golf course, which might be more familiar for the average golfer. It’s a very big property, so there was plenty of room for everyone. The weather was good, the golf was good and the support was great.”
The last part stood in contrast to what transpired at Olympia Fields. The year was 2020, with the pandemic in full grip. Fans were ordered to stay away.
Rahm’s mind was elsewhere for a moment in the third round, when he reached into his pocket to grab his ball marker and then picked up his ball on the fourth green. The problem – the marker was still in his pants. He took a one-shot penalty.
“A funny anecdote now,” he said. Emphasis on now.
When he topped Johnson’s 44-foot putt with an even longer and snakier one, the beardless Rahm celebrated with an emphatic fist pump.
Asked if the #RahmBomb stands as the most meaningful putt of his professional career, he replied: “Has to, right? It takes the cake.”
He added: “If there’s anything else I’ll take away from that week, it’s the fact that I played almost the entire weekend bogey-free.”
Almost because of the penalty. Other than that, his game was cleaner than the walls of the Art Institute.
Rahm is a fan favorite on the LIV circuit. A LIV U.S. attendance record was set at the 2024 Chicago event at Bolingbrook Golf Club.
Rahm performed respectably at this year’s majors, backdooring a T14 at the Masters, settling for a nine-way tie for eighth at the PGA Championship, finishing five shots behind J.J. Spaun at the U.S. Open in June and placing T34 at Royal Portrush last month.
While there’s a team element to LIV, the sport’s ultimate team competition will take place in September. New York fans will be jacked for the Rowdy, er, Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black from Sept. 26–28.
Rahm likely won’t qualify for Team Europe on points, given the weight of DP World Tour events in qualification. But he could give captain Luke Donald the easiest selection decision in golf history with continued strong play in August. Donald has six captain’s picks.
If the European team repeats, perhaps Rahm can celebrate by hopping on a jet and directing it 800 miles west.
“We haven’t stayed close to downtown,” Rahm said. “Given the time commitments and traic, I haven’t been able to explore [Chicago] too much.”
Hit the Mag Mile, sprinkle some celery salt on a dog, jump aboard for an architecture cruise at sundown.
One day, Jon. We can only hope.
Formerly the golf writer for the Chicago Tribune, Teddy Greenstein now whale-hunts for DraftKings Sportsbook.
