Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII cruised to a nail-biting 2-1 quarterfinal victory over Martin Kaymer’s Cleeks GC at the LIV Golf Team Championship in Michigan. Despite their win, Rahm’s post-match reflections highlighted a more personal struggle.

Asked by the media about missing last year’s championship through illness and how proud he was of his young teammates, Jon Rahm didn’t hide his emotions. “It’s so hard as a player to not be in control. It feels so much worse than playing. I didn’t do my duty as a captain today and made this an uphill battle for all of us,” he told the media. In 2024, Rahm had been forced to withdraw with severe flu-like symptoms, with John Catlin stepping in as an alternate. This time, he was back but couldn’t escape frustration after a rare 2&1 singles defeat to Adrian Meronk, sealed by a three-putt on the 17th hole.

Still, Rahm was quick to credit the rest of his team. “The two young guys [Tom McKibbin and Caleb Surratt] came through, finished strong with two birdies,” he noted. McKibbin, already with nine top-10s in his first full LIV season, and Surratt, fresh off his first podium in the UK, delivered the decisive alternate-shot point against Martin Kaymer and Frederik Kjettrup.

He also praised Tyrrell Hatton’s clutch play. “Then Tyrrell doing Tyrrell things. He seems to be unflappable, hitting those short putts. I’ve seen it many, many times. One more time, you know. Unlucky with the chip, unlucky with the lie, and still makes the putt he needs to make,” Rahm said. “Hopefully they can keep playing this good, and I can show up tomorrow.”

Hatton’s duel with Richard Bland went all the way to extra holes, where Bland missed a short par putt to hand Legion XIII the decisive point. Hatton has been having a great year so far, with a career-best major finish this year as well, at the US Open (T4). The Englishman has also automatically qualified for Team Europe at the 2025 Ryder Cup. Although he couldn’t perform as per his expectations, Rahm is hopeful for the next round. “Hopefully, they can keep playing this good, and I can show up tomorrow.”

This victory in Michigan is just the latest example of Legion XIII’s consistency and dominance in the LIV Golf League. In 2025, they finished the regular season with a league-high eight podium finishes, including four team wins at LIV Golf Riyadh, Mexico City, Andalucia, and the UK. Rahm secured the season-long individual championship, finishing inside the top 10 in 12 of the 13 events. In 2024, their debut season, the team already made waves with four tournament victories and Rahm taking the individual season-long title. Even when he was sidelined due to illness, the team managed a 2-1 semifinal win, ultimately finishing fourth in the championship finals.

Legion XIII poised for semifinal showdown

After a victory in the quarterfinals, Legion XIII has advanced to the semifinals of the 2025 LIV Golf Team Championship at The Cardinal at Saint John’s Resort in Plymouth, Michigan. As the tournament’s top seed, Jon Rahm and his team once again had the strategic advantage of choosing their opponent from the remaining lower-ranked teams, and they went for Phil Mickelson’s HyFlyers. The semifinals, scheduled for Saturday, August 23, will follow the same match-play format as the QF, with two singles matches and one alternate-shot match determining which team earns the two points needed to advance to Sunday’s finals.

Legion XIII is entering the semis as the clear favorites, thanks to a combination of top seeding and a strong regular season. With few teams remaining, Legion XIII’s experience in match play and depth across all four roster spots give them a significant edge as they aim to capture the championship.