Rahm Maintains Lead as Legion XIII Teammates Prepare for Final Round Clash at LIV Golf Mexico City
Captain Jon Rahm of Legion XIII has positioned himself for a potential victory at the LIV Golf Mexico City event, holding a two-stroke advantage as the tournament heads into its final round. Rahm delivered another impressive performance on Saturday, carding a 4-under 67 at Club de Golf Chapultepec to reach 14 under par overall. This marks the fifth occasion in his LIV Golf career that he has entered the final round with the lead, showcasing his consistent dominance on the tour.
Teammate Hatton Lurks Close Behind, Setting Up Intriguing Final Pairing
Directly behind Rahm on the leaderboard is his Legion XIII teammate, Tyrrell Hatton, who fired a stellar 5-under 66 to move into solo second place at 12 under par. This sets up a compelling final-group pairing between two players who have already demonstrated formidable chemistry in high-pressure situations, particularly in Ryder Cup play where they have gone undefeated together. It is the first time since joining LIV Golf prior to the 2024 season that Rahm and Hatton will be paired in the final group during the closing round.
Rahm commented on the unique dynamic, stating, "I don't see the dynamic changing a lot, but I can imagine we're going to be speaking a little bit less than we do normally just because of the situation we're in. Down the stretch, no matter who we're playing with, the conversations are very limited."
Hatton acknowledged the challenge of chasing down his teammate, who is the league's current points leader and reigning two-time Individual Champion. "I'll be trying to make as many birdies as I can to overtake Jon, but that's going to be a difficult task," Hatton said. "He's proved many times how to win golf tournaments. He's been incredibly consistent this season so far on LIV. It's going to be a tough day, but hopefully I can play well and see what happens."
Legion XIII Dominates Team Competition and Individual Leaderboard
Beyond the top two spots, Legion XIII further solidified its dominance with another teammate, Tom McKibbin, tied for third place at 11 under par alongside Branden Grace of Southern Guards GC. McKibbin is just three shots off the lead and remains within striking distance, adding another layer of intrigue to the final round. He reflected on the unusual position of competing against teammates while contributing to the team effort.
"Tomorrow we'll all be going out there just to shoot the best score possible, and we'll see where that stands after four days," McKibbin noted. "It's sort of a weird position. We're all playing against each other but then playing with each other ... it'll be an interesting day."
In the team competition, Legion XIII has built a commanding 15-shot advantage over Fireballs GC, after establishing the largest team lead after any round in LIV Golf history through 36 holes. With three players occupying the top three positions on the individual leaderboard, Legion XIII has a chance to achieve a rare sweep of the individual podium, a feat not accomplished since the inaugural LIV Golf tournament in London in 2022.
Notable Performances from the Chasing Pack
A group of five players sits at 10 under par, including Harold Varner III of Smash GC, Josele Ballester and David Puig of Fireballs GC, Scott Vincent of HyFlyers GC, and Matthew Wolff of RangeGoats GC. Among them, Puig delivered the standout performance of the week with a remarkable 9-under 62, just one shot shy of the course record. The Spaniard even had thoughts of a historic 59 during his round.
"A little bit, yeah," Puig admitted when asked if 59 crossed his mind. "I was actually 2-under teeing off on hole 16 on the course, and I played the next six holes 7-under, which is pretty unbelievable."
Rahm's consistency continues to be a highlight of the season; he has now extended his streak of consecutive rounds in the 60s to eight. Out of 23 rounds played this season, he has broken 70 an impressive 21 times. However, the chasing pack remains dangerous on a course that offers ample birdie opportunities alongside the risk of high scores.
As the final round approaches, all eyes will be on the Legion XIII teammates as they navigate both individual and team ambitions in what promises to be a thrilling conclusion to the LIV Golf Mexico City event.
