Rahm leads by 2; Legion XIII teammates set for final-group showdown in Mexico City

MEXICO CITY – Jon Rahm will have a familiar face alongside him in Sunday’s final group at LIV Golf Mexico City — and a familiar position atop the leaderboard. 

The Legion XIII captain carded his second consecutive 4-under 67 on Saturday at Club de Golf Chapultepec to reach 14 under, giving him a two-shot lead entering the final round. It will be the fifth time in his LIV Golf career that he’s started the final round with the lead. 

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Waiting just behind is teammate Tyrrell Hatton, who fired a 5-under 66 to move into solo second at 12 under, setting up a compelling final-group pairing between two teammates who have already proven to be a formidable duo on the biggest stage. It’s the first time since joining LIV Golf prior to the 2024 season that Rahm and Hatton are in the final group in the final round. 

“I don't see the dynamic changing a lot, but I can imagine we're going to be speaking a little bit less than we do normally just because of the situation we're going to be in,” Rahm said. “Down the stretch, no matter who we're playing with, the conversations are very limited.” 

Hatton knows the challenge that awaits as he tries to chase down Rahm, the league’s current points leader and reigning two-time Individual Champion. 

“I'll be trying to make as many birdies as I can to overtake Jon, but that's going to be a difficult task,” he said. “He's proved many times how to win golf tournaments. He's been incredibly consistent this season so far on LIV. It's going to be a tough day, but hopefully I can play well and see what happens.”

Rahm and Hatton have gone 4-0-1 together in Ryder Cup play — and while this will be the first time they’ve been paired in the final round of a LIV Golf event, their history suggests a compelling showdown Sunday. 

Lurking just behind them is another Legion XIII teammate, Tom McKibbin, who is tied for third with Southern Guards GC’s Branden Grace at 11 under, just three shots off the lead and firmly within striking distance. McKibbin acknowledged the unique dynamic of competing against his teammates while also contributing to the team effort. 

“Tomorrow we'll all be going out there just to shoot the best score possible, and we'll see where that stands after four days,” McKibbin said. “It's sort of a weird position. We're all playing against each other but then playing with each other … it'll be an interesting day.” 

A group of five players sit at 10 under – Smash GC’s Harold Varner III, Fireballs GC’s Josele Ballester and David Puig, HyFlyers GC’s Scott Vincent and RangeGoats GC’s Matthew Wolff. 

Puig delivered the standout performances of the week, firing a 9-under 62, just one shot shy of the course record. The Spaniard even had a historic number briefly on his mind late in the round. 

“A little bit, yeah,” Puig said when asked if 59 crossed his mind. “I was actually 2-under teeing off on hole 16 on the course, and I played the next six holes 7-under, which is pretty unbelievable.” 

Puig said the closing stretch at Club de Golf Chapultepec made it difficult to fully chase the number. “Holes 4, 5 and 6, they're pretty demanding, so I played the holes pretty good, but I didn't really hit them that close,” he said. “And 7 to finish, I knew that maybe an eagle was an option, so I definitely thought about the 59. But at the end of the day, I was still a little far behind.” 

Rahm extended his consecutive rounds in the 60s to eight; of his 23 rounds played this season, he’s broken 70 a remarkable 21 times as he continues to showcase impressive consistency. But the chasing pack will be dangerous on a course that offers up plenty of opportunities for birdies as well as risks of big numbers on the scorecard.

While the individual battle remains tight, Legion XIII continued to separate itself in the team competition. After building the largest team lead after any round in LIV Golf history through 36 holes (19 shots), Legion XIII will enter the final round with a 15-shot advantage over Fireballs GC. 

Even more intriguing, with three players inside the top three of the individual leaderboard, Legion XIII has a chance to do something that hasn’t been done since LIV Golf’s inaugural tournament in London in 2022 – sweep the individual podium. Southern Guards GC (then called Stinger GC) took all three individual podium spots that week. 

Grace, who was part of that sweep along with London winner Charl Schwartzel and runner-up Hennie du Plessis, knows the task is much tougher now for one team to claim all three places. 

“Things are a little bit different since back then, I must say,” said Grace said, whose Southern Guards start Sunday in solo third, 19 shots behind. “The fields have gotten a lot stronger. The guys are phenomenal players. Not that it wasn't back then, but I feel that now there is nothing that's given to you. You have to really go out there, play good golf and give yourself a chance and push. 

“They are four fantastic players, but around this place, anything can happen. Greens get crusty those last four or five holes and the wind gets swirling. Listen, I'm going to try for it not to happen; let's put it that way.” 

Legion XIII, of course, would love to not only capture its first win of the season but join the South Africans in the record book. 

“There's a lot of players within close distance that are probably going to come out firing tomorrow, so I'm hoping all three of us play really good, as well,” Rahm said. “That would be a sight to see – to win individually, clean podium, team championship, everything. That would be something special.”

TOP OF THE LEADERBOARDS 

Individual Top 10

1 (-14) – Jon Rahm, Legion XIII (65-67-67)

2 (-12) – Tyrrell Hatton, Legion XIII (69-66-66)

T3 (-11) – Branden Grace, Southern Guards GC (71-66-65); Tom McKibbin, Legion XIII (68-65-69)

T5 (-10) – Harold Varner III, Smash GC (67-66-70); Josele Ballester, Fireballs GC (71-67-65); Scott Vincent, HyFlyers GC (67-71-65); David Puig, Fireballs GC (69-72-62); Matthew Wolff, RangeGoats GC (68-65-70)

10 (-9) – Luis Masaveu, Fireballs GC (69-65-70)

Team Top 3

1 (-38) – Legion XIII (Rahm 65-67-67, Hatton 69-66-66, McKibbin 68-65-69, Surratt 73-70-69; Rd. 3 score: -13)

2 (-23) – Fireballs GC (Puig 69-72-62, Masaveu 69-65-70, Ballester 71-67-65, Garcia 75-74-71; Rd. 3 score: -17)

3 (-19) – Southern Guards GC (Grace 71-66-65, Burmester 69-72-65, Oosthuizen 73-68-68, Schwartzel 71-77-68; Rd. 3 score: -18) 

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ROUND 3 NOTES 

400-YARD DRIVES: Six 400-yard drives were recorded Saturday at the high-altitude Club de Golf Chapultepec, with Ripper GC’s Lucas Herbert producing the longest of the day.

Herbert unleashed a 417-yard drive on the 12th hole, leading a group of players who took advantage of the thin Mexico City air to push past the 400-yard mark.

Two drives over 410 yards came at the 12th hole, which continues to play as one of the most explosive driving opportunities on the course.

• 417 yards – Lucas Herbert (12th hole)

• 411 yards – Luis Masaveu (12th hole)

• 411 yards – Bryson DeChambeau (5th hole)

• 410 yards – Harold Varner III (3rd hole)

• 401 yards – Victor Perez (12th hole)

• 401 yards – Adrian Meronk (3rd hole)

A total of 15 drives of 400 or more yards has been struck in the first three rounds. Richard Bland has the longest drive of the week at 421 yards in the opening round at the 11th hole.

HATTON KEEPS POST-MAJOR FORM GOING: Tyrrell Hatton will enter Sunday’s final round in solo second, continuing a remarkable trend of strong performances immediately following major championships.

Hatton has recorded four top-5 finishes on LIV Golf in the start immediately after a major: a win in Nashville following the 2024 U.S. Open; a runner-up in the UK after The Open; a T5 in Mexico following the 2025 Masters; and a T5 in Dallas after the 2025 U.S. Open.

Last week at the Masters, he finished T3, his best result in his 43 career major starts.

“I don't know. I don't try any harder or I have no explanation as to why that might be the case,” Hatton said. “But yeah, I'll try and put a good round of golf together tomorrow.”

BALLESTER DIALED WITH THE DRIVER: Josele Ballester has been the best driver of the golf ball this week, leading the field through three rounds in Strokes Gained Off the Tee (+6.02).

Ballester has leaned on a simple, aggressive approach that has paid off in the high-altitude conditions at Club de Golf Chapultepec.

“It's been pretty much the same over the last six months, I would say. Just swing hard and left,” Ballester said. “I feel like in this altitude, the ball doesn't curve as much, so that feeling of actually swinging left produces a little fade that is pretty consistent.”

Ballester added that improved confidence with the driver has allowed him to shape shots when needed. “I've been hitting my driver better overall,” he said, “and that also gives me the confidence when I have to hit a draw to believe I can do it.”

PUIG READY TO ATTACK: David Puig enters the final round four shots off the lead after producing a remarkable 9-under 62, and plans to stay aggressive in his pursuit of Jon Rahm on Sunday.

Puig believes the soft greens at Club de Golf Chapultepec reward players who take on pins, provided they can first position themselves properly off the tee. 

“Probably, yeah,” Puig said when asked if he’ll play aggressively. “I think this course with how soft the greens are, it kind of gives you a little more room to be more aggressive because if you kind of hit the yardage you're supposed to hit, they usually don't really move that much.” 

Puig emphasized that success will still start with accuracy off the tee. “It's still a pretty demanding course off the tee, so I'll try and focus on that … and if I'm able to do that, I'm sure I'll fire at as many pins as I can.” 

THE MASTER AND THE PUPILS: Fireballs GC captain Sergio Garcia has watched his younger teammates put themselves firmly in contention this week and is embracing a supportive role as they chase a title on Sunday. 

With David Puig and Josele Ballester surging up the leaderboard as part of the five-way tie for 5th while Luis Masaveu is in solo 10th, Garcia has taken pride in their performances as the team's elder statesman and mentor. 

“They're good enough to do what they do,” Garcia said. “The only thing that we try to tell each other is we just cheer each other on, wish each other good luck, and we know that we're all cheering for each other.” 

Garcia added: “They've been playing great, and it's nice to watch.”

GRACE STILL ON SOUTH AFRICAN HIGH: Branden Grace produced his first podium finish since midway through the 2023 season with a T3 last month in front of his home fans at LIV Golf South Africa. His Southern Guards team were in position to win the team title until chased down by Crushers GC on the final nine holes. 

Although disappointed to not deliver their raucous fans a trophy, Grace said the positives of being supported by more than 100,000 fans in Johannesburg will remain a cherished memory. Grace has been the Southern Guards’ top player this season with three top-10 finishes. 

“We had such a fantastic week at LIV South Africa. I think I'm still running on that momentum,” he said. “But I've played really well the whole season. I've gave myself some good chances. I've been in there. I feel obviously now I've given myself a good chance again … maybe a good one tomorrow and we'll see what happens.”

NOTES & NUGGETS

• Legion XIII will take a lead into the final round for the sixth time in team history; they’ve converted four of the previous five opportunities into wins

• Fireballs GC, which enters the final round in second place for the second consecutive tournament, has three tournament wins when entering the final round in second

• Tom McKibbin enters the final round inside the top three for the first time in his LIV Golf career; his 11-under total through three rounds ties for his lowest 54-hole score

• The last time Matthew Wolff (T5) entered the final round inside the top 5 was 2024 Singapore

• 54-hole leader Jon Rahm has converted two of his previous four opportunities into victories when leading entering the final round, including earlier this year in Hong Kong

• Tyrrell Hatton’s bogey-free round was his fourth of the season and 11th in his LIV Golf career

• David Puig’s 9-under 62 is the lowest round in his LIV Golf career; he gained +7.40 strokes against the field, his best-ever Strokes Gained Total performance

• Branden Grace averaged 1.22 putts on Saturday, his best average in that category in a single LIV Golf round

• Grace increased his par-5 par or better streak to 66, moving into 6th place in that category; he also has hit 52 consecutive par-5 Greens in Regulation, the league’s second-longest streak

• Graeme McDowell played six holes under par, six holes at even par and six holes over par on Saturday – that’s the first time that’s happened with any player this season and the 17th time in league history

• If Legion XIII wins Sunday, they would equal Crushers GC for most team wins (9 regular season, 1 Team Championship)

STATS LEADERS 

Round 3

Driving Distance: Luis Masaveu, 382.5-yard avg.

Longest Drive: Lucas Herbert, 417.8 yards (12th hole). Official measured drives taken only on holes 7 & 12.

Driving Accuracy: Ben Campbell, 78.57% (11 of 14)

Greens in Regulation: Martin Kaymer, Charles Howell III, 88.89% (16 of 18)

Scrambling: Ian Poulter (6 of 6), David Puig (4 of 4), Tyrrell Hatton (3 of 3), Charles Howell III (2 of 2), 100% 

Fewest Putts: Branden Grace, 22

Bogey-free rounds: Tyrrell Hatton (66), Ian Poulter (67)

Cumulative 

Driving Distance: Bryson DeChambeau, 377.6-yard avg. 

Driving Accuracy: Scott Vincent, Charl Schwartzel, 64.29% (27 of 42) 

Greens in Regulation: Martin Kaymer, 88.89% (48 of 54) 

Scrambling: Scott Vincent (11 of 13), 84.62%  

Fewest Putts: Matthew Wolff, Minkyu Kim, Danny Lee, Peter Uihlein, 82