Staff WriterThe 2025 LIV Golf regular season reaches its climax at LIV Indianapolis, and if you thought this was going to be a Sunday stroll through Chatham Hills, you’d be very much mistaken.
The final round has brewed into a three-ring circus of golf: a heavyweight fight between Joaquin Niemann and Jon Rahm for the Individual Championship, Sebastian Muñoz trying to hang onto a title that once looked wrapped in Torque GC tissue paper, and Dustin Johnson sneaking in like a burglar who knows where you hide the spare key.
What began as a coronation march for Muñoz turned into a dogfight after Johnson’s sizzling 64 tied him at 16-under heading into Sunday.
The pair now stand four shots clear of the pack, but neither can take a breath with the season-long prize dangling between Niemann and Rahm like the last piñata at a kids’ birthday party.
Niemann vs. Rahm: The Duel That Defines LIV Indianapolis
This week’s main event is the Niemann-Rahm showdown. Niemann, captain of Torque GC and five-time winner this season, carded a cool 66 on Saturday to move to 12-under and tied for third. Rahm, captain of Legion XIII and defending champion, fired a matching 64 and lurks one back.
“I’m looking forward to tomorrow,” Niemann said. “I think it’s been great. It will be a good day for us.”
That’s understated, given the stakes. Rahm, still winless this year, knows he’ll need to outmuscle Niemann—and possibly win outright—to retain his crown. Four birdies in his last five holes Saturday kept the Spaniard’s hopes alive.
“I have to expect that Joaquin is going to come out and at the very least post a 5-under (66),” Rahm said. “He’s such a good player and it’s a very accessible golf course. I’m going to need a Sebastián-esque round to give myself a chance to win and hopefully take it all. If not, I’m going to need a lot of luck in all those possible scenarios.”
Muñoz’s Masterpiece Wobbles
Speaking of Sebastián, Muñoz gave LIV Golf its Mona Lisa on Friday: a 59 with 14 birdies, a double bogey, and enough fireworks to set off every car alarm in Carmel. At one point Saturday, he had 17 birdies across 18 holes—a statistic so absurd it sounds like something out of a video game.
Then came the hiccups: a missed 3-footer on nine, a bogey on 10, and a stumble home that ended with a double at 18. His 67 was still solid, but the aura of inevitability had cracked.
“Just a couple mistakes,” Muñoz admitted. “Misjudgment of speed on 10 and then a really bad lie on 15 and unfortunately a bad swing on 18. I had my fair share of mistakes on that back nine. But yeah, looking forward to tomorrow.”
Johnson Keeps Creeping
While Muñoz lost momentum, Dustin Johnson did what Dustin Johnson does—kept plodding forward with the indifference of a man mowing his lawn. After six pars to start, he reeled off six birdies in eight holes and finished at 16-under, his best 36-hole total in his LIV career.
“Haven’t really had that many chances this year, but really looking forward to tomorrow,” Johnson said. “I’m playing really solid. I’m really comfortable over the ball. Hopefully it’ll be a good day and a good fight.”
The Drop Zone Drama
Not all the fireworks are at the top. At the bottom, the Majesticks’ three captains—Henrik Stenson, Lee Westwood, and Ian Poulter—are fighting for survival. Stenson responded with his best round of the season, a 64 that has him tied for third and projected safely out of the dreaded Drop Zone. Westwood and Poulter, however, are staring relegation in the face.
“It’s been a bad season for us, no question, both as individuals and as a team,” Stenson said. “As you can tell, we’re all kind of bunched up towards the bottom of the order of merit.
Everyone has obviously been a bit unhappy about that position. As individuals, we’re in certain positions, and then as a team as well, if we don’t move out of 12th we’ll play on Wednesday next week. So, we’ve obviously got that to try and sort out tomorrow with a strong finish as a team. It would be a nice week to finish off strong here.”
The Majesticks may be battling the abyss, but at least they’ve got company—Andy Ogletree also made a charge to keep HyFlyers GC out of the cellar.
Sunday at LIV Indianapolis: Set for Fireworks
So, here we are: Niemann vs. Rahm for the season crown. Muñoz vs. Johnson for the tournament trophy. Stenson and the Majesticks scrapping for their very existence.
All of it unfolding before another packed gallery at Chatham Hills, a course that’s happily handing out low scores like candy at Halloween.
And the beauty of it? Nothing is settled until the final putt drops.
