Jon Rahm began Thursday’s opening round of LIV Golf Mexico City with a solid performance at Club de Golf Chapultepec, positioning himself within striking distance of the early leader despite a highly unusual interruption to the live broadcast.
The Basque golfer carded a 6-under-par 65 in the first round, highlighted by a sequence of birdies that included one unusual moment where his ball ricocheted off a course buggy before finding the green. According to verified reports from the event, Rahm finished the opening day tied for second place at 6 under, three shots behind Victor Perez, who shot a career-best 9-under 62 to seize the outright individual lead.
Rahm’s round featured seven birdies and no bogeys until the 18th hole, where a single dropped shot prevented him from matching Perez’s explosive start. His performance kept him in contention early, especially notable given the altitude of Mexico City, which exceeds 7,000 feet and typically amplifies driving distance while complicating short-game control.
The round was abruptly halted for nearly three hours during the late morning session due to unverified reports circulating about a potential league shutdown. Play resumed only after officials confirmed the rumors were unfounded, though the delay disrupted momentum for several players, including Rahm, who had been among the early leaders before the suspension.
Victor Perez, representing Cleeks Golf Club, delivered what LIV Golf officials described as a career-best round, capitalizing on the thin air with 11 birdies and closing his round with four consecutive birdies on holes 15 through 18. His 62 not only gave him a three-shot advantage over Rahm and the field but also marked the lowest score of his professional career on the LIV Golf circuit.
In the team competition, Legion XIII, captained by Rahm, took an early lead in the team standings with a combined score of 9 under, supported by strong contributions from Tyrrell Hatton, and McKibbin. Despite losing the individual lead, Rahm’s positioning left him well-placed to challenge for his second individual win of the 2026 LIV Golf season.
The incident underscored the ongoing scrutiny surrounding LIV Golf’s stability, following recent speculation about potential operational changes. However, league representatives confirmed play would continue as scheduled, with no alterations to the event format or prize distribution.
Rahm, who turned 31 in November 2025, has consistently performed at a high level since joining LIV Golf in 2022, including a T12 finish at the 2023 PGA Championship and a fourth-place finish for France at the 2024 Paris Olympics. His ability to rebound from early-setbacks remains a hallmark of his resilience under pressure.
As play continued into Friday, Rahm remained a central figure in the leaderboard chase, with the cut line projected to fall around 3 under par after 36 holes. His focus now shifts to maintaining consistency in the second round, where avoiding early mistakes will be critical to staying in contention.
The second round of LIV Golf Mexico City is scheduled to commence at 7:30 a.m. Local time (13:30 UTC) on Friday, April 17, 2026, with tee times determined by the first-round standings in reverse order.
For ongoing updates, fans are directed to the official LIV Golf website and broadcast partners, which continue to provide real-time scoring and video coverage of the event.
Stay tuned to Archysport for the latest developments from Mexico City and throughout the 2026 LIV Golf season.
