“So blessed to have welcomed our daughter Alaia Cahill Rahm into the world,” Rahm shared last year when announcing her birth. Now, nearly a year later, the proud dad found himself drawing on family once again after a challenging day at the LIV Golf Team Championship in Michigan—turning frustration into humor in a way only Rahm can.

Jon Rahm’s second appearance at the LIV Golf Team Championship, and his first in Michigan, was anything but smooth. Rahm missed the 2024 Team Championship in Miami due to a severe flu, making his 2025 return in Michigan even more meaningful. Facing Adrian Meronk in his opening match, the Spaniard quickly fell behind and was 2 down with three holes to play. A timely birdie gave him hope, but a bogey on 17 sealed a 2 & 1 defeat.

Asked about his day at Plymouth, Rahm told the media, “Match play is never easy. It’s extremely fun.” Reflecting on the loss, he added, “As it goes to my match, I played well. Adrian played well. I just think my daughter, who can’t even stand, would be better with a putter than me today.”  His teammates stepped up to keep Legion XIII alive. Tyrrell Hatton, along with youngsters Tom McKibbin and Caleb Surratt, delivered crucial wins. Rahm praised them, saying, “Always full faith in my team. I’m just hoping their captain shows up tomorrow with a better level of golf.”

He also highlighted the clutch play of the younger pair: “The young boys did what they needed to do. Coming down the stretch, tied match, finished birdie, birdie on 18 and 1 to get it done.” Despite his struggles, Rahm’s leadership remained clear. Now, the question is whether he can bounce back in the semifinals against Phil Mickelson.

Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII advances to the semifinals among other top teams

Jon Rahm couldn’t stay up to par on Friday. But his team had his back. Legion XIII went head-to-head against Cleeks Golf Club. Tyrrell Hatton battled Richard Bland in a nail-biting singles match. Hatton delivered a clutch par that kept the team from missing the semifinals by a thin margin. In the foursomes match, the young duo of Tom McKibbin and Caleb Surratt also stepped up, defeating Martin Kaymer and Frederik Kjettrup, 2&1. These wins kept Legion XIII well into contention, as they now head into Saturday.

Remarking on Hatton’s decisive match, Rahm said, “He hits a lot of fairways, great wedges, great putter, so he was always going to be tough.” This match proved to be a crucial win for the team, since both teams stood on 1 win before this. Now, with the Friday round finished, the top 6 teams have emerged with Legion XIII in the mix. Crushers and Torgue both head into the semifinals, 2&1 each. Defeating the Spanish legend Sergio Garcia‘s Fireballs GC, HyFlyers GC took the win in all three matches. Smash and Stinger also head into Saturday after a 2&1 each.

Now with half the field already packing bags, the semifinals would be no less brutal. With a drive fuelled by team spirit and legends like Jon Rahm hunting for a win, fans can expect even more drama.