Patton Kizzire’s Procore Championship Win: A Viewer Comparison with Jon Rahm’s LIV Golf Chicago Victory
Patton Kizzire’s victory at the Procore Championship in mid-September 2024 was a significant accomplishment in his professional career.1
However, despite the importance of his win on the PGA Tour, the event’s television viewership paled in comparison to the numbers pulled in by Jon Rahm’s victory at the LIV Golf Chicago event held the same weekend.
Table of Contents
Viewership Numbers: PGA Tour vs. LIV Golf
Kizzire’s win at the Procore Championship garnered only 69,000 viewers on Sunday, September 15, 2024. For a PGA Tour event, this number is relatively low, especially considering it was a highlight moment in Kizzire’s career.
This viewership number underscores the challenges the PGA Tour faces during its fall season, which typically sees fewer marquee names competing and fewer viewers tuning in compared to the prime spring and summer events.
LIV Golf Chicago Viewership
In stark contrast, Jon Rahm’s victory at the LIV Golf Chicago event attracted nearly double the viewership of Kizzire’s win, reflecting a more significant interest in the season finale of the Saudi-backed circuit.
LIV Golf, with its high-profile players and unique event structure, continues to draw significant attention from golf fans, even as it competes with traditional PGA Tour events.
A Busy Week in the World of Golf
The weekend of September 15, 2024, was particularly packed with golf events, giving fans a variety of tournaments to follow and potentially dividing viewership.
In addition to the Procore Championship and LIV Golf Chicago, the Solheim Cup and the Irish Open were also taking place, contributing to a busy week for the sport. This convergence of major events may have spread the golf audience thin, as fans chose between following different tournaments.
Solheim Cup
The Solheim Cup, a prestigious biennial competition between teams from Europe and the United States, also competed for attention during this weekend.2
View this post on Instagram
Given its international scope and the excitement that accompanies team-based competitions, the Solheim Cup likely drew a substantial portion of the global golf audience, leaving less room for events like the Procore Championship to capture viewers.
Jon Rahm’s Consistency and Dominance
Rahm’s dominance throughout the 2024 LIV Golf season was built on consistency. His ability to perform at an elite level in multiple tournaments set him apart from his peers. The LIV Golf circuit, with its shorter event structure and innovative team-based format, seemed to suit Rahm’s aggressive yet strategic style of play.3
Rahm’s performance wasn’t just about winning individual tournaments; he also contributed significantly to his team’s success, demonstrating his versatility as a player who excels both in individual and team formats. This all-around excellence made him one of the most valuable players on the LIV Golf tour, both in terms of competitive success and marketability.
Comparison with Other LIV Golf Players
- Jon Rahm’s staggering $34 million-plus earnings positioned him well ahead of his competitors on the LIV Golf money list.
- The next closest competitor, Joaquin Niemann, finished the 2024 season with $24,381,666 in earnings, a significant amount but still almost $10 million behind Rahm.
- Niemann had an impressive season himself, but Rahm’s victories in key events, particularly the LIV Golf Championship, allowed him to outpace his peers in terms of earnings.
- While many other prominent golfers on the LIV circuit, such as Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka, also had successful seasons, none could match Rahm’s combination of victories and earnings.
- His ability to consistently deliver results, even under immense pressure, is what set him apart as the top earner of the season.
LIV Golf’s Financial Model and Prize Pools
One of the reasons why Rahm’s earnings were so astronomical in 2024 is due to LIV Golf’s financial model. Backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), LIV Golf has positioned itself as a major disruptor in the golf world by offering massive prize pools and guaranteed payouts for players.
The lucrative prize structures have been a key factor in attracting many of the sport’s biggest names, including Rahm, to the new circuit.
The Impact of Jon Rahm’s Success on LIV Golf
Jon Rahm’s success in 2024 has had broader implications for the LIV Golf circuit. His victories, particularly in high-profile events like the LIV Golf Championship and LIV Golf Chicago, have helped boost the visibility of the tour and attract more fans.
Rahm is one of the most popular and recognizable figures in golf, and his involvement in LIV Golf has been a major draw for both existing golf enthusiasts and new audiences.
Jon Rahm’s Early Life and Background
Jon Rahm, one of the most prominent figures in professional golf today, was born on November 10, 1994, in Barrika, a small town in the Basque Country of Spain. Rahm’s upbringing played a crucial role in shaping him into the golfer he would become.
His mother, Angela Rodríguez, hailed from Madrid, and his father, Edorta Rahm, was from the Basque Country. Together, they nurtured Jon’s interest in sports, particularly golf, a game he started playing before the age of seven.
Report: DP World Tour rejects LIV Golf’s offer to pay fines for Jon Rahm, others https://t.co/DyzwiEpErJ pic.twitter.com/yyGezl5VIg
— Golfweek (@golfweek) September 17, 2024
Jon Rahm’s Journey to America and College Golf Career
Rahm’s golfing journey took a significant leap when he moved to the United States to pursue his education and golf career at Arizona State University (ASU) in Tempe, Arizona. His decision to study and play golf in the U.S. provided him with the opportunity to compete at a higher level and develop his skills under top-tier coaching.
Rahm’s Transition to Professional Golf
After an outstanding amateur career, Jon Rahm turned professional in 2016 following his graduation from Arizona State University. He wasted no time making an impact on the PGA Tour, finishing tied for third in his debut professional event at the Quicken Loans National.
Rahm’s transition to the professional game was seamless, and it quickly became apparent that he was destined for greatness.
Rise to Stardom: Rahm’s Success on the PGA Tour
Rahm’s early victories were just the beginning of what would become a highly successful career on the PGA Tour. His consistency and ability to contend in major tournaments quickly elevated him to the upper echelon of professional golf.
By 2021, Rahm had achieved one of his lifelong dreams by winning his first major championship at the U.S. Open, solidifying his place among the sport’s elite.
Also Read: Jon Rahm’s DP World Tour Fine: How Much He Owes and His Reaction
Professional Career: Jon Rahm’s Immediate Impact as a Pro
Jon Rahm’s transition from amateur golf to the professional ranks was swift and impactful. After his triumph at the U.S. Open in 2016, Rahm officially turned professional, which unfortunately meant he had to forfeit his exemption into the Open Championship that year.
However, his debut in the professional circuit came shortly after at the Quicken Loans National, where Rahm made a stunning entrance.
Early Wins and Momentum on the PGA Tour
Rahm continued to build on his early success in the professional circuit. By 2017, Rahm secured his first PGA Tour victory at the Farmers Insurance Open, held at the iconic Torrey Pines Golf Course.
The win was a major milestone for the young Spaniard, as it solidified his place among the rising stars in golf. Rahm’s ability to maintain focus and perform under pressure during the final round of that tournament showcased his immense potential.
Rahm’s Major Breakthrough: 2021 U.S. Open Victory
Jon Rahm’s crowning achievement came in 2021 when he won his first major championship at the U.S. Open. This victory marked a turning point in Rahm’s career, as it not only fulfilled his childhood dream of winning a major but also placed him among the top golfers in the world.
Jon Rahm Joins LIV Golf: A Controversial Move
- In 2024, Jon Rahm made the highly publicized and somewhat controversial decision to join LIV Golf, a new professional golf tour backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
- LIV Golf had been making waves in the golfing world for its revolutionary approach to the sport, offering shorter event formats and lucrative prize money to attract top players from the PGA Tour.
- Rahm’s decision to join LIV Golf was met with mixed reactions. While some fans and players criticized the move, citing concerns about the tour’s association with Saudi Arabia, others viewed it as a smart financial decision.
- For Rahm, the opportunity to compete in a new and innovative format while securing substantial financial rewards was too enticing to pass up.
Jon Rahm Net Worth: How LIV Golf is Shaping His Financial Future
Jon Rahm, a Spanish golf sensation, has risen through the ranks to become one of the most celebrated figures in the sport. As of 2024, Rahm’s net worth has skyrocketed to a reported $100 million, thanks to a series of triumphs on the golf course and, more recently, a lucrative deal with LIV Golf.
His contract with LIV Golf, reported to be worth anywhere between $566 million and $600 million, represents a seismic shift in professional golf’s financial landscape, with a staggering $300 million of that paid up front.
A New Chapter in Jon Rahm’s Career
LIV Golf has turned the professional golf world upside down, offering jaw-dropping sums to lure players from the PGA Tour and other traditional circuits. Rahm’s decision to join this Saudi-backed golf league was met with a mixture of surprise and understanding.
While some traditionalists lamented the departure of yet another top player from the PGA Tour, others could hardly blame Rahm for accepting such an irresistible financial offer. For context, the entire 2024 PGA Tour prize fund is expected to be less than $500 million, making Rahm’s LIV Golf deal an unprecedented windfall.
LIV Golf’s Financial Allure
The upstart league, LIV Golf, has attracted numerous high-profile players by offering guaranteed contracts, enormous signing bonuses, and a unique format.
Unlike the PGA Tour, which operates on a performance-based system where players earn prize money based on their finishes in tournaments, LIV Golf guarantees money to its participants before they even tee off. This makes LIV a highly attractive proposition for golfers like Rahm, who are at the pinnacle of their careers and can command massive salaries.
The Rise of Jon Rahm in Professional Golf
Born in Barrika, Basque Country, Spain, Jon Rahm has always been a golf prodigy. Rahm’s journey to the top began when he played college golf at Arizona State University, where he became a two-time winner of the Ben Hogan Award, recognizing the best collegiate golfer in the U.S. Rahm turned professional in 2016, and his ascent was meteoric.
By 2020, he had already achieved the world’s number one ranking, a feat that only a few golfers have ever accomplished.
FAQ’S
1. What was the viewership for Patton Kizzire’s Procore Championship win?
Ans: Patton Kizzire’s victory at the Procore Championship attracted 69,000 viewers. This reflects the audience tuning in to watch his performance during the tournament.
2. How does this viewership compare to Jon Rahm’s LIV event in Chicago?
Ans: The 69,000 viewers for Kizzire’s win is almost half of the viewership for Jon Rahm’s LIV event in Chicago. Rahm’s event drew significantly more attention, indicating the higher popularity of the LIV event.
3. Why did Jon Rahm’s LIV event attract more viewers?
Ans: Jon Rahm is a highly recognized golfer with a global fanbase, which likely boosted viewership for his LIV event. Additionally, LIV Golf has gained substantial attention with its high-profile players, innovative format, and financial backing, contributing to larger audiences.
4. What factors could explain the lower viewership for the Procore Championship?
Ans: The Procore Championship may have received less media coverage and promotion compared to LIV events, which feature some of the world’s top golfers. Additionally, LIV Golf has created buzz in the golf world, drawing more attention than traditional tournaments like the Procore Championship.
5. What impact could this viewership difference have on future golf tournaments?
Ans: The difference in viewership highlights the growing divide in audience attention between traditional golf tournaments and newer, more publicized events like LIV Golf. This trend could push organizers of traditional events to rethink their marketing strategies and player recruitment to compete for higher audience engagement.
Read More: Jon Rahm Describes Pairing with LIV Golf Teammate as a Weird Scenario
