LIV Golf prize money for individual champion as Jon Rahm and Joaquin Niemann chase title

The 2024 LIV Golf season is nearing its conclusion, with only Jon Rahm, a former Masters champion, and Chilean star Joaquin Niemann still in contention for the prestigious LIV Golf individual championship. The two are set to compete for a substantial prize fund at the Bolingbrook Golf Club in Chicago, Illinois, as the LIV Individual season reaches its finale.

As with other LIV events, the prize pool for the Chicago tournament is significant, totaling $25 million (£19.1 million). The winner will take home $4 million (£3.1 million), while the runner-up will receive $2.25 million (£1.7 million). The third-place finisher will earn $1.5 million (£1.1 million), with $1 million (£760,000) for fourth place and $800,000 (£601,000) for fifth. Rahm has had a strong season, securing one win and consistently finishing in the top 10, amassing a score of 195.17.

Niemann, who boasts two victories this season, is close behind with a score of 192, well ahead of third-placed Tyrrell Hatton by nearly 50 points. In the team competition, Crushers GC, led by Bryson DeChambeau, currently tops the standings. The winning team at LIV Golf Chicago will receive $3 million (£2.3 million), with the second-place team taking $1.5 million (£1.1 million).

The overall prize for claiming the 2024 LIV Golf season title is a whopping $18 million (£13.7 million), a sum previously won by Talor Gooch in 2023 and Dustin Johnson in 2022. In addition to the massive cash prize, the league champion will also receive a diamond championship ring, similar to those awarded in the NBA and NFL. The ring is set with 5.78 carats of white diamonds and 1.2 carats of green emeralds.

Jon Rahm admitted he found it hard to imagine the ring’s design, saying, “I’m trying to picture what it looks like right now, and I can’t get that in my mind. But honestly, who cares what it is as long as you’re the one that has it? That’s what most of us will be thinking. I think you would be lying to yourself if you said there’s nothing extra. We’re all aware it’s the last event, and for the two of us, obviously, we both want to win.”

Niemann, meanwhile, joked about how the ring might outshine his wedding band: “Probably my wife won’t be happy knowing that my ring would have more [diamonds]. No, I feel it’s pretty special. It’s a little different than other trophies, so it would be pretty cool to have an extra ring.”

As Rahm and Niemann compete for the LIV title, other players such as Tyrrell Hatton, Sergio Garcia, and Louis Oosthuizen are also looking to close out the season with strong performances. Rahm is currently leading the Chicago event at seven-under, with Garcia just one shot behind. Niemann, meanwhile, is three shots back, keeping the battle for the championship thrilling as it heads into the final round.