Jon Rahm taking full advantage of last-minute LIV Golf appeal and fulfilling promise

Jon Rahm is in second place at the Spanish Open, an event he has won three times, after a strong 6-under round on Saturday. Rahm was able to compete on home soil after appealing against fines imposed by the DP World Tour for his participation in LIV Golf events.

The world number 15 golfer shot a 68 in the first round, followed by a 69 in the second round, which included an eagle on the 4th hole. A bogey-free third round of 65, with six birdies, has put Rahm in contention for a fourth title.

He is two strokes behind leader Angel Hidalgo going into the final round. Rahm is aiming to become the event's all-time leading winner, surpassing Angel de la Torre, who has three wins.

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"I'm very excited. Hopefully, I can end up with the win, but it's definitely going to be a Sunday, atmosphere-wise, that [Hidalgo and Puig] haven't experienced yet," Rahm said after the round. "There's going to be a lot of people watching and it's going to be a lot of fun."

Rahm's battle on the course follows a dispute with the DP World Tour, which imposed fines of over $1 million for his participation in conflicting golf events. LIV Golf then tried to negotiate a deal that included covering the fines, but the tour declined.

According to the official DP World Tour rules, players must obtain approved release to participate in conflicting events. But expressed his commitment to participating in the Spanish Open, underscoring its significance far beyond the $3.2 million purse.

"I don't intend to pay the fines," Rahm stated. "And we keep trying to have a discussion with them about how we can make this happen.

"I've said many times, I don't go to the Spanish Open for the glory or anything else. I think it's my duty to Spanish golf to be there, and I also want to play in Sotogrande [Andalucia Masters]."

Alongside Rahm, other LIV golfers including Tyrrell Hatton and Patrick Reed faced challenges but also aimed to compete at the Spanish Open as part of Rahm's team, Legion.

With his appeal, Rahm's participation in both the Spanish Open and the Paris Olympics count as two of the four required appearances to qualify for the Ryder Cup. Rahm has plans to join the stroke-play Dunhill Links Championship and the Andalucia Masters in October, thereby meeting the participation criteria.

The 2025 Ryder Cup is all set to take place from Sept. 26 through Sept. 28. To secure a spot on the European team, players will need to earn points on the DP World Tour and keep their status in the Official World Golf rankings.