Jon Rahm and his LIV Golf allies face more frustration ahead of the 2025 Open Championship after the breakaway tour’s latest schedule announcement.
LIV announced the next six events on its calendar for next season on Wednesday, with stops in South Korea, Dallas, Spain, England, Chicago and Indianapolis. The tour previously confirmed its first four events of the season will be held in Saudi Arabia, Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore in February and March.
The tournaments in South Korea and Indianapolis are new events for LIV, but the biggest talking point for many players will instead be something that has not changed.
LIV Golf Andalucia will be held at Valderrama in southern Spain from July 11-13, one week before The Open Championship at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland. LIV had the same schedule last season, and numerous players bemoaned a lack of preparation in links conditions when they arrived at Royal Troon.
While Valderrama is a storied and prestigious course, it is an entirely different test to that posed by the links courses that line the coasts of the United Kingdom, where the elements are particularly impactful and typically a lower ball flight is preferred.
The lack of prep in comparable conditions was evident in LIV players’ performances in Scotland. The leaderboard was dominated by PGA Tour and DP World Tour players, with only Rahm securing a top-15 finish, ending eight shots back from winner Xander Schauffele.
Members of the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, however, had the opportunity to play in the Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club on Scotland’s east coast the week before the opening, offering a perfect setting to tune their games for The Open.
Rahm has been among LIV players to call on the tour’s CEO and commissioner, Greg Norman, to alter the schedule and hold a links event in the lead-up to The Open. But next year, they will have to face the same challenge of heading straight from Valderrama into Open week.
There’s so much that goes into adjusting to links golf, getting used to the greens and the ball reacting on the ground, Rahm said after The Open in July. I didnt think about it until after [Troon], but it’s undeniable how much it helps to play a links golf course the week before the Open.
Obviously, LIV management have contracts in place with some venues and plans in the future. It’s not as easy as it sounds to just say, Well, let’s do this. [But] it’d be something I would like to talk to other players [on LIV] about because that way, theres strength in numbers if five, six or 10 solid players [all agree]. I think a lot of people might agree with it.
Rahm’s thoughts were echoed by 2022 Open champion Cam Smith. The Aussie finished at 12-over-par and missed the cut at Troon and told News.com.au last month: It was really two polar opposites of golf. It was really hot [at Valderrama], the ball was going a long way up in altitude, and then getting on to links [at Royal Troon] where its quite cold and windy, its probably not the best prep.
Its definitely something that we spoke about. They [LIV] are well aware of that. I dont know if itll happen next year, but definitely in the future its something that we want to do.
With LIV’s summer schedule confirmed, it appears its players will be at a significant disadvantage when Open week arrives. Doubtless, their attempts to lobby Norman for change will continue.