JCB Golf & Country Club was supposed to be all about Joaquin Niemann’s dominance. With a commanding three-shot win at 17-under-par, Niemann notched his fifth LIV Golf victory of the 2025 season.
Even Jon Rahm, who finished T5, couldn’t help but praise him: “Joaquin is severely underrated,” Rahm told reporters post-round.
But by Sunday night, Niemann’s win had taken a backseat—because Rahm had another viral moment. And not the good kind.
The Kick Heard’ Round Golf Twitter
On the seventh tee, after an errant drive, Rahm was visibly frustrated. Then came the final spark. A fan called out, “Chin up, Jon, son!” Harmless to most, maybe. But not to Rahm. The two-time major champion turned and kicked a microphone placed near the tee box, clearly unleashing his anger before regrouping for his next shot.
The incident, captured by a fan and reposted by Nuclr Golf on X, exploded online. Fans were quick to call Rahm out, with one viral reply branding him “childish”, while others questioned if LIV Golf’s relaxed format was actually giving players too much rope when it came to decorum.
It didn’t help Rahm’s case that just two weeks earlier, during the Open Championship at Royal Portrush, he lashed out at a fan who whistled during his backswing.
“Really? Whistling? Great timing. Right in my backswing. Very smart, whoever it was,” Rahm snapped.
Later, he admitted the distraction may not have been as serious as he initially made it sound. “It probably didn’t affect me as much as I made it seem,” Rahm conceded in his Open post-round presser.
But the pattern is starting to take hold.
Performance Solid, Temper Still the Headline
Ironically, Rahm played well this week. His 10-under performance helped Legion XIII capture the team title with a dominant 35-under, finishing eight shots clear of Niemann’s Torque GC. But once again, his play was overshadowed by his emotions.
This isn’t new for Rahm, who’s long walked the line between passionate competitor and volatile presence. But the stakes are different now as one of LIV’s marquee stars—and one of the biggest names to jump from the PGA Tour—Rahm’s every move is amplified. With fewer events and more cameras, moments like Sunday’s mic-kick aren’t just passing outbursts. They’re storylines.
Rahm hasn’t publicly commented on the incident yet. No fines have been announced by LIV Golf, which has historically taken a softer approach toward player conduct compared to the PGA Tour. But Rahm’s next outburst could carry more consequences with growing pressure on the league to maintain a polished product.
Until then, the tension lingers: Can Rahm keep his fire without lighting another public relations fuse? Because right now, no matter how well he plays, his temper is beating him to the headlines.
