After playing incredibly on the LIV Golf and winning the individual championship, Jon Rahm moved back to the DP World for the rest of his season. At first, Rahm’s decision to play at the breakaway circuit became a hindrance as he was sanctioned $1 million in fines and without paying it he couldn’t continue on the DP World Tour. But the Spaniard appealed all those sanctions and his plan to play on the European circuit worked.
Including his start at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Rahm needed to make three more starts to keep his DP World Tour card and become eligible for the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage. He teed up at the Open de Espana, Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, and the Andalucia Masters. With his last game at the Real Club de Golf Sotogrande, Rahm completed the four-game tally to keep his card, even if it hinders him from making his team.
That was probably one reason why he decided to not tee up at the $9 million Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Yas Links. After these four events, Rahm ranked 10th on the Ryder Cup European Team rankings and a few steps closer to being automatically qualified for the Ryder Cup. If he could’ve played two more events, Rahm would’ve ranked better and qualified without relying on the captain’s pick.
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However, the Spaniard confirmed that before teeing up at LIV Golf’s first event in Riyadh in February, he would begin his 2025 season in Dubai at either the Dubai Invitational or the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. Nonetheless, Rahm has ended his 2024 season on a perfect note, as in all the four he finished inside the top 10 including a solo runner-up finish at the Spanish Open.
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Although his eligibility criteria have been completed, there might be another reason why Rahm decided to end his season before many pros.
Jon Rahm’s priority has changed
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Is Jon Rahm sacrificing his career potential for family, or is he redefining success in golf?
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In the 2024 season, many golfers expanded their families and one of them was Jon Rahm. The Spaniard has always been a family man, and it was also one of the reasons why he signed the $500 million contract with LIV Golf. As a father of two children, Kepa and Eneko, who were born in 2021 and 2022, Rahm announced in March that he and his wife, Kelley Cahill, were expecting a third child.
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Even in 2021, Rahm had promised that he would leave the Masters if his first son would be between during the event. And in the 2024 season as well, his priority was his family. The couple welcomed their first daughter just a month ago, on October 2. Rahm posted on Instagram and said, “So blessed to have welcomed our daughter Alaia Cahill Rahm into the world last week. Mama and baby girl are both healthy and doing great, I can’t wait to get back home to them.”
As his family is growing, as apparent, Rahm would want to spend more time with them. When the 2025 season starts, he will be more on the greens. Regardless, Jon Rahm’s 2025 season is set to start with the DP World Tour and then he will move to LIV Golf for yet another exceptional year.
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Is Jon Rahm sacrificing his career potential for family, or is he redefining success in golf?