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PLYMOUTH, MI – AUGUST 23: Jon Rahm drives the ball during round two of the LIV Golf Team Championship Michigan at The Cardinal at Saint John s Resort in Plymouth, MI on August 23, 2025. Photo by Joseph Weiser/Icon Sportswire GOLF: AUG 23 LIV Golf Team Championship Michigan EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon25082347
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PLYMOUTH, MI – AUGUST 23: Jon Rahm drives the ball during round two of the LIV Golf Team Championship Michigan at The Cardinal at Saint John s Resort in Plymouth, MI on August 23, 2025. Photo by Joseph Weiser/Icon Sportswire GOLF: AUG 23 LIV Golf Team Championship Michigan EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon25082347
The ongoing political conflicts in the Middle East caused a lot of issues for LIV Golf pros to leave for Hong Kong. However, Jon Rahm to their rescue as he helped them board a private jet. Thanks to him, Thomas Detry & Co. were able to reach the course and get enough practice to play the event. And the Belgian pro once again thanked the Spanish veteran for it.
“That was pretty incredible,” Detry told the reporters during the presser for the HSBC LIV Golf Hong Kong 2026.
He added, “I’ve got to pay that plane back, so I’d better play well, hopefully, to be able to pay that back. That was incredibly generous from Jon, with all the uncertainty.”
Rahm aligned with his partners, VistaJet, to arrange a charter flight. They flew from Oman to Hong Kong. All those stuck in Dubai were asked to take a four-hour drive to Oman to catch the flight. A total of seven players and a caddie had eventually boarded the plane. But it wasn’t like Detry didn’t have another plan in place if Rahm hadn’t come to the rescue.
“I was booked on an Emirates flight to Hong Kong on Wednesday morning, and it actually took off. So I would have been here on Wednesday night late, but obviously that was very unknown on Tuesday.”
Considering the political environment, Detry & Co. were uncertain whether their Emirates flight would ever take off. Even if it did, a Wednesday morning flight from Dubai to Hong Kong would have been hectic. Especially for an event that begins on Thursday morning.
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PACIFIC PALISADES, CA – FEBRUARY 19: Jon Rahm celebrates and holds the trophy after winning the Genesis Invitational on February 19, 2023, at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, CA. Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire GOLF: FEB 19 PGA, Golf Herren – The Genesis Invitational Icon2302190214
The Belgian pro also understands that Rahm is a top guy in every aspect. Whether it’s on the leaderboard or in the LIV Golf dressing room. And Detry is trying his best to pay him back with his performance in Hong Kong.
Thomas Detry finds a way to pay back Jon Rahm, but he probably wouldn’t like it
As Thomas Detry stated, “I’ve got to pay that plane back, so I’d better play well, hopefully, to be able to pay that back.”
That’s exactly what he is doing at HSBC LIV Golf Hong Kong 2026. After two rounds of action, he is sitting at solo third with a score of 13-under par. The Belgian pro is just one stroke away from the top of the leaderboard and is looking like a strong candidate to win the title.
The added rest and practice he got from traveling early in Jon Rahm’s charter flight helped him, it seems. However, the Spanish veteran might like it.
Despite an excellent performance of 8-under 62 on Friday, Rahm is still one stroke behind Detry. He is placed at solo fourth with a score of 12-under par.
As we go into the weekend, things could go down to the wire between the two European stars. And if Detry ends up winning, Rahm might regret flying him to Hong Kong.