Liv Golf: Jon Rahm leaves Masters with questions and a warning
Jon Rahm left Augusta National on Sunday with questions hanging over his Masters week, and the liv golf storyline followed him all the way to the final holes. The 2023 Masters champion finished 1-over for the tournament, 13 shots behind Rory McIlroy, after arriving as one of the pre-tournament favorites. His final-round finish came after a week that started with a six-over 78 and ended with Rahm saying he plans to change how he prepares going forward.
Rahm’s week swung from struggle to recovery
The opening round put Rahm in immediate trouble at Augusta National. He opened with a 6-over 78 on Thursday, with zero birdies, and was 11 shots behind the leaders by the end of the day. Rahm said the course was difficult, but he added that the bigger issue was having “no feel with the swing whatsoever. ”
He responded on Friday with a two-under 70 to make the cut, but he still entered the weekend 16 shots behind McIlroy. On Saturday, he posted one over, then closed with a four-under round on Sunday to finish in a tie for 38th place in the standings. The final round was better, but the tournament had already moved away from him.
The liv golf angle remains part of the bigger picture
Rahm’s Masters result also fed the ongoing scrutiny around his major record since moving to liv golf. In the past two seasons, he has three top-10 finishes in seven major starts, but only one of those came with a true Sunday charge on the back nine, at the 2025 PGA Championship. He did not win in 2025 on LIV, the DP World Tour, or at a major, and he said at the time that a problem in his takeaway had been addressed during a three-month break late in the year.
This week was supposed to show that he was back to his best. Instead, his early-round struggles raised the same questions again, even after the strong finish on Sunday.
What Rahm said after the final round
Rahm said directly that changes are coming. “Definitely some things I’m going change going forward, ” he said. “Preparation-wise and what to do. ” He also pointed to the unusual course conditions, saying he had not seen a Masters “this firm” for a long time and noting the state of the property and greens.
He added that he already has “some things in mind for future editions” if conditions reach that level again. That is the clearest sign yet that his post-tournament reflection is turning into a practical reset.
What the result means now
The broader context is simple: Rahm arrived at Augusta with strong form on liv golf and left with another major week that did not fully match expectations. He was one of the names many had circled before the tournament, but the opening round forced him into damage control.
McIlroy’s victory and Rahm’s finish sharpened the contrast between the tournament winner and one of the week’s most watched contenders. For Rahm, the next test will be whether the changes he has in mind show up the next time he returns to Augusta National for another Masters.
