Jon Rahm admits his victory at last year’s LIV Golf UK was a heart-rending moment.

The Spaniard’s win at the JCB Golf and Country Club saw him scoop a whopping $4million (£2.95m) in prize money after winning by a single stroke on his way to claiming the individual title.

Jon Rahm reigned supreme at last year’s LIV Golf UK eventCredit: Getty

Rahm went toe-to-toe with American Andy Ogletree who was the overnight leader going into the final third round.

But back-to-back double bogeys on his back 9 saw him spiral from the top of the leaderboard.

Rahm was tasked with overcoming the threat of Legion XIII teammate Tyrell Hatton in the closing stages.

Hatton three-putted on the 18th green, causing him to fall to 12-under-par where he joined Joaquin Niemann and Cameron Smith in second place.

Why did Rahm not feel joy in pipping Hatton to victory?

Despite claiming victory, Rahm looks back at last year’s victory as a bittersweet moment in his career.

“In a weird way, it’s always going to be a bittersweet memory,” Rahm told a press conference ahead of the 2025 UK event.

“I don’t know if there’s been many cases where two teammates have gone at each other to win the individual title and then go on to win the team title as well, and you never want to see a teammate and a friend make a mistake on the last to win.

“Again, in a weird way, as much as I like that I won here, it’s not something that I can celebrate in that sense, just because it was such an unusual circumstance.

“It’s one of those things that happen in LIV, and as we get better, as the league gets better, I think it’s something that’s going to happen more and more often.

“But as first-timers having to deal with that, it was certainly no fun, I can say that, because then I get the individual win, we’re on the podium together, and we’re celebrating the team, and obviously he’s going to be upset that he didn’t get it done as well individually.

Rahm overcame friend and teammate Tyrell Hatton to scoop the $4m prizeCredit: Getty

“I think it would have been slightly awkward either way for one of us.

“As wonderful as it was and as well as I played, still, not something that I remember in the same light as other victories.”

Rahm is hoping for a similar outcome this time round but trails leader Joaquin Niemann who tops the standings.

The Chilean had been successful in four of the ten events to hand himself a 12 point lead at the top.Meanwhile, Legion XIII top the team standings after a solid 2025 season to date.

The team fronted by Rahm have finished in the top three in six of the ten events and have yet to finish below sixth in any event.

Has Rahm’s relation changed with Hatton since the win?

Asked whether his relationship with Hatton had changed after teaming together and competing against each other last year, Rahm says the pair have now learnt more about one another.

Hatton and Rahm continue to share a healthy working and professional relationshipCredit: Getty

“I’ll tell you the one thing we’ve learned about each other we’ve I’ve gotten to know a lot more our taste on wine,” Rahm joked.

“At first it was like, I like it; I like it too. But then you get to know, okay, what do you like. So that’s been a bit more profound. You get to know each other a little bit more.

“One thing about both of us is that as much as we may act on the golf course, we’re not afraid to make fun of each other or make fun of ourselves.

“We’ve shared a few laughs about things we may have done on the course. They get to laugh as well because they don’t do that. It’s a good time for everybody.

“I think, like any other friendship, in general, you just get to know each other a little bit better.

“It’s a balance, right, because we spend a lot of great time together but we also want to beat each other, and when we’re playing together it’s glaringly obvious that we want to beat each other, but we don’t say it.

“But it is what it is. It’s a friendly competition as well within things, and I think that’s why it works so well as well.”

The UK event is among the most popular on the schedule with the JCB Golf and Country Club hosting the event for the second time in succession.

The event, which tees off on Friday, will be played over 54 holes across three days, with a shotgun start each day and no cut.