When Jon Rahm switched to LIV Golf in 2023, he ranked as the No. 3 player in the world. “The decision, like I said, was for me and my family. So what I believe is the better path for me right now, it was worth risking the Ryder Cup,” he said at the time. Now, two years later, Jon Rahm stands as the 76th player in the OWGR, and the golf community finds itself asking, was it worth it? Despite this significant drop, and considering his reported $350 million LIV Golf contract, the Spaniard does not blame the Saudi-backed circuit. In fact, after his Saturday performance at the 2025 PGA Championship, Rahm stated, “My move to LIV and my struggles in majors had nothing to do with where I was playing golf. My swing simply wasn’t at the level it needed to be for me to compete. It’s easier to post a score on non-major championship courses and venues, and I think when you get to the biggest stages like this one and these courses, those flaws are going to get exposed – and it did.” The golf world isn’t convinced, however, given his stats.

Jon Rahm may want to dismiss criticisms of LIV Golf, but his major performances tell a different story. Since joining LIV before the 2024 season, he has faded from the public eye, struggling with inconsistent results: T-45 at the Masters, missed cut at the PGA, withdrew from the U.S. Open due to a toe injury, and T7 at the Open Championship. However, this year, he improved with a T14 at the Masters and a T8 at the PGA Championship. On the other hand, Bryson DeChambeau has finished tied for 6th or better in five of the last six majors, including a T5 at the Masters and a T2 at the 2025 PGA Championship, where he came close to winning his third major.

During an interview with Andy Johnson and PJ Clark, Porath responded to a question about where he would place the 2 time major champion, Jon Rahm. He replied, “Um, I think he should be in. I think it’s disrespectful to keep him out. He just finished whatever he finished, not runner-up, because he blew up on the last three holes.” Johnson joined him and replied, “He was the only other guy that was going to win the PGA, and there was a moment where you thought he was going to win the PGA.” Porath agreed, “I think he should be in tier one.” However, PJ Clark did not buy it and replied, “I would have him and Xander in their own tier-2.” 

During the Sunday round at the PGA Championship, Rahm narrowly missed birdie putts on holes 12 and 13, then misjudged a perfect approach on the short par-4 14th, landing in a bunker and settling for par. He made another par on 15, wasting a chance on the par-5 with a poor third shot. As he tried to keep up with a surging Scheffler, a series of mistakes led him to a dismal finish of 5-over par, including a bogey and two double-bogeys. He eventually finished T8.

According to PGA Tour data analyst Ron Klos, Jon Rahm, the 2024 LIV Golf champion, has seen a significant decline, with his average strokes gained per round dropping from 2.58 to 1.50 and his average finish in major championships falling from 16.8 to 39.8. Despite this, Rahm has performed well outside of the majors, achieving top-10 finishes in all seven LIV starts this season, and he has never finished outside the top 10 in 19 appearances in the league, winning twice. However, he is not alone in experiencing poor performances in majors since joining LIV Golf.

Brooks Koepka is dealing with a pretty similar fate after joining LIV Golf

Brooks Koepka was one of the prominent players who switched to LIV Golf during its first season in 2022, reportedly for $100 million. Initially, he maintained strong performances in major tournaments, finishing as the runner-up to Jon Rahm at the 2023 Masters and securing his third PGA title shortly after. However, his recent form has significantly declined. In the past, Koepka had the knack for elevating his game during major weeks, even when not at his best, but he has struggled to do so over the last two years. From 2017 to 2023, he dominated major events, winning three PGA Championships and two US Opens, along with six other top-five finishes.

Despite his impressive track record, including never missing a cut in his first 12 appearances at the PGA Championship, Koepka missed the cut at the 2025 event, as well as at the 2025 Masters. Last year, he failed to achieve a top-20 finish in any major, and this trend has continued into the current season. Since joining LIV Golf, Koepka has experienced a decline in performance. According to Ron Klos, his strokes gained per round dropped by 1.26, and his average finishing position fell by 20.8 spots. Over the past two years, he has only managed one top-five result in seven LIV outings and has been inconsistent, with just one podium finish in Singapore and no top-25 finishes in major tournaments.