Jon Rahm didn’t need a trophy to walk away as one of 2025’s biggest winners. While LIV’s headline-makers battled for glory, Rahm quietly outpaced them in earnings through ruthless consistency and elite finishes. And it raises the real question that follows: what exactly drove this unlikely payout?

That’s where the twist sharpens. Joaquin Niemann, the player who finished No. 2 in points, had one of LIV’s most explosive seasons in terms of pure wins: four titles, each coming with an $8 million bump. By traditional logic, that should’ve placed him comfortably ahead of Rahm. 

Championship golf usually tilts toward the player who converts big moments. Niemann did exactly that. But his off-weeks were too costly. Well, the inconsistency in his non-winning finishes leaked points at a rate Jon Rahm never matched, and over the full season, it left a mathematical opening wide enough for Rahm to seize the crown.

His total? $38.751 million total, that contained a massive $18 million bonus, the largest chunk of guaranteed earnings LIV offers. Niemann’s haul from his victories was enormous, but Rahm’s season-long accumulation outpaced it. And when the numbers were tallied, Rahm ended the year roughly $6 million ahead of every other player on the circuit, winning the financial race without ever winning a tournament. 

As per Spotrac, Rahm's 2025 is ending somewhere with $38,751,876, outpacing Niemann’s $32,993,866 without a single victory. It’s a result that reshapes how this LIV season will be remembered. And make no mistake. While he may not have won tournaments, he did have his moments.

Inside Rahm’s Winless But Dominant 2025

Rahm’s 2025 season was defined by controlled, high-level consistency. Across 13 LIV events, he delivered 12 top-10 finishes, including four runner-up results, yet never converted a victory. It became his first winless year since turning pro in 2016.

Still, LIV’s points system rewarded reliability. And Rahm topped the standings with 226.16 points, edging Joaquin Niemann’s 223.68 despite Niemann’s multiple wins.

The outcome also raises larger strategic questions. Is the LIV format creating a new kind of competitive incentive? One where steady excellence can outweigh spectacular peaks? And for stars who rely on volatility and aggressive play, will Rahm’s 2025 become the blueprint for long-term earnings control?

One thing is certain: in a league built for fireworks, the biggest financial spark of the year came from the man who never needed one.

Written by

Dolly Bhamrick

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar