One day, we can only hope, Jon Rahm will take selfies at The Bean. He’ll walk barefoot along Oak Street Beach. He’ll try to smooth out his golf tan in the bleachers at Wrigley before munching on Manchego at the Purple Pig. The man has earned a Ferris Bueller-caliber day off, replete with his own float in the Von Steuben Day Parade.
We remember when he did the impossible at Olympia Fields, sinking a sidehill 66-footer to trump Dustin Johnson at the 2020 BMW Championship.
We recall when he did the unlikely at Bolingbrook, rallying from a so-so 69 that left him seven shots behind Brooks Koepka to triumph at LIV Golf Chicago in 2024.
“Even apart from those two wins, I’ve had good memories from quite a few other events in Chicago,” Rahm said in an interview for the CDGA. “I played well at Conway Farms (T5 in the 2017 BMW Championship), I played well at Medinah (also T5, in 2019). The Chicago fans have always been incredible, very supportive. They love their golf and it’s a joy to play in front of them.”
Chicago fans wishing to see their beloved conquistador can return to the southwest ’burbs Aug. 8–10 for the 2025 LIV event. Bolingbrook played tougher than anyone could have imagined last year, with just 22 of 54 players bettering par.
“Friday was a tricky day; I was just trying not to lose too many shots,” Rahm recalled. “I came back with two really solid rounds (64-66) to end up with the win. The course was extremely firm, tough and windy. I’m hoping we get something similar again, because that was really fun to be a part of a golf course that difficult.”
As captain of the Legion XIII LIV Golf team, Rahm recruited an American named Caleb Surratt, the first All-American golfer at the University of Tennessee.
Surratt has plowed through his own Chicago winner, triumphing at the 2021 Western Junior at Onwentsia. But Bolingbrook took him by storm. Surratt shot 80-73-75 to finish last.
Fortunately, Rahm, his captain, didn’t howl.
“He doesn’t kick you when you’re down,” Surratt said.
Rahm felt nothing but love from the sun-splashed fans last year, saying: “We were playing a municipal golf course, which might be more familiar for the average golfer. It’s a very big property, so there was plenty of room for everyone. The weather was good, the golf was good and the support was great.”
The last part stood in contrast to what transpired at Olympia Fields. The year was 2020, with the pandemic in full grip. Fans were ordered to stay away.