Rahm praises ‘brightest young stars’ as LIV Golf’s young guns dominate global tours

LIV Golf’s offseason has been dominated by breakthrough performances from its youngest up-and-coming talents. This trend validates the league's investment in youth, according to one of the league’s established superstars, Jon Rahm. 

The Legion XIII captain spoke highly of his own young teammates Tom McKibbin and Caleb Surratt while applauding the global success of fellow Spanish talents David Puig and Josele Ballester of Fireballs GC.

Rahm expressed high confidence in his team's future, highlighting the dedication of his young protégés. Legion XIII will enter the 2026 LIV Golf season in February as the league’s defending Team Champions.

“Very excited, but not surprised, that Tom and Caleb have played well during the offseason. Besides being young and talented, they continue to work tirelessly, and it’s paying off. Tom’s already a proven winner and Caleb’s time will come very soon,” Rahm said.

After his win at the Link Hong Kong Open, McKibbin reflected on his dominant performance, which saw him break the tournament’s 72-hole scoring record, saying, “It was obviously amazing. I played some of the best golf I have probably ever played. So, yeah, to have that sort of golf and to shoot those scores around here is pretty special.” 

The confidence gained from playing alongside a superstar like Rahm and veteran Tyrrell Hatton has been a key to their quick maturation, as McKibbin outlined after Legion XIII’s Team Championship victory in Michigan.

“I think getting to spend time with Jon and Tyrrell, I’ve definitely learned a lot from them," McKibbin said. "And then I think getting paired with some of the other guys and stuff throughout the tournaments, people that you’ve watched on TV or grew up watching, I’m getting to learn from them. I think some of the golf courses as well were a little bit trickier than what I’d been used to, so sort of getting used to those and developing my game through that. So I think a lot of small things that add up to quite a big sort of difference.”

Surratt, LIV Golf’s youngest player at age 21, has yet to capture his first pro victory but has come extremely close on multiple occasions.

“It’s been a wild ride," Surratt said in Michigan, citing the leadership from his two veteran teammates as an integral part of his development. 

"I’m thankful to Jon trusting me enough to have me on his team last year, and I’m very proud of the player I’ve started to become,” he said. “I know that I wouldn’t be the player I am today if I didn’t make the decision to come out here and play with Jon and Tyrrell over the last few years. I’m very thankful for that and looking forward to many years to come.”

The impact of LIV’s young crop of talent extends far beyond Legion XIII, as the Spanish duo of Puig and Ballester have recently earned huge professional victories on global tours, with Puig winning the BMW Australian PGA Championship and Ballester securing his first professional win at the PIF Saudi International powered by Softbank Investment Advisers.

Puig immediately recognized the historical significance of his Australian win, referencing Spanish legend Seve Ballesteros: “He’s such a big figure for Spanish golf... we try to be like Seve and play with that freedom. Kind of follow his short game a little bit and his attitude and behavior and how much he cared and all that. Hopefully, we’re kind on the right path.”

Ballester, who plays alongside his mentor and Spanish legend Sergio Garcia, views the team environment as essential to his development, saying, “I think the biggest thing for me was that I believe it’s the path for me to develop and become a better golfer. When you’re with players that are better than yourself, you definitely get better.”

Rahm views these international wins as a powerful signal about the direction and quality of the league’s roster.

“It’s gratifying to see the league’s young players making an impact across the globe,” the defending two-time LIV Golf Individual Champion said. “Their success confirms that we have some of the game’s brightest young stars, not only here with Legion XIII but across the league. It’s also a reflection of the emphasis the league has placed on identifying and developing young players. That’s not only important for me but I know it’s important for many of my fellow captains on the other teams.”

With these young stars already securing major championship exemptions and high-profile victories before the start of the 2026 LIV Golf season, it is clear the best is yet to come for the league’s young guns.