Jon Rahm just had an extraordinary week

Sometimes you simply cannot make it up. 

This has just been another week in the life of Jon Rahm then - it started with him accusing the DP World Tour of extortion, continued with him arranging a flight so that Thomas Detry (and seven other players) could compete in LIV’s Hong Kong tournament and ended with the Spaniard winning the title. With Detry in second place. Obviously!

Rahm recorded a final round of 64 for a three-stroke victory at 23 under. It comes after consecutive runner-up finishes in the first two LIV Golf tournaments this season.

He made headlines for all the wrong reasons with his verbal attack on the DP World Tour. He once again made it clear he had no intention of paying any outstanding fines. 

Unless a solution is found, this looks like ending his Ryder Cup career - and, ironically, came in the same week that Luke Donald was confirmed as a three-time European Ryder Cup captain.

However, it is fair to say that the Spaniard will be receiving a Christmas card from fellow LIV golfer Detry. The Belgian was stranded in the Middle East and looked like he was going to miss the Hong Kong tournament until Rahm stepped in and organised a flight for him.

Detry said: "I didn't know what to expect when I teed off. I only got here Wednesday morning, so I had a bit of a nightmare getting here with all the travel through the Middle East, but I made it and got off to a good start [in round one] and I guess I just kept playing well, kept the momentum going. I've got to pay that plane back, so I'd better play well hopefully to be able to pay that back. That was incredibly generous from Jon, with all the uncertainty."

Rahm produced a final-round 64 to claim victory in Hong Kong as he beat Detry, who was one of eight players for whom Rahm arranged a private jet.

Rahm and Detry, along with American Harold Varner III, were tied for the lead on 17 under going into the final day. Rahm struck eight birdies and two bogeys in his fourth round to take victory, with Detry carding a 67 as he finished second on 20 under. 

"I played really good all day," said Rahm, who claimed his third LIV Golf win and first in the series since 2024. "I just tried to stay very patient and committed to each shot, knowing that I was doing everything right and things were going to happen. I think that was the theme pretty much every round this week.

"Very relieving. That’s the only way I can describe it. I've been very ecstatic for wins in the past. This one just feels like a big weight off my shoulder. That's all I can say."

Rahm’s form in the majors has not exactly been electric since he signed for LIV but his form on the breakaway tour has been impressive. He has never once finished outside the top 10.

He won two individual tournament titles in his first season in 2024. Since then, he’s celebrated four regular-season tournament wins, two season-long Individual Championships, and a Team Championship last year.

But his stretch of 26 consecutive worldwide starts without a tournament win matched the longest stretch of his career.