We are halfway through the 2025 season, and Jon Rahm is playing at what is often dubbed the “Augusta of Europe,” Real Club Valderrama. Despite a solid finish at last year’s LIV Golf Andalucía, Rahm admitted during the 2025 Andalucía event, “I would put Valderrama in my top five of championship courses for sure.” However, what’s even more concerning than Rahm’s statement on this iconic course is his concern about letting down the fans. Hear it from the Spaniard himself.
Currently active at the 2025 LIV Golf Andalucía, an event held in his home country, Jon Rahm discussed his performance and the weight of fans’ expectations. In his first two rounds at Real Club Valderrama, Rahm shot 71 and 70 in the first two rounds, respectively. Despite being a contender at the LIV Golf event, Jon Rahm did not seem very satisfied with his finishes. The reason? He believes he failed to live up to fans’ expectations by failing to “take advantage” of the course, Real Club Valderrama.
Following his second round, Rahm explained what “interactions with the [Spanish] fans” mean to him: “It means the world. It also feels a little heavier on you when you make mistakes or don’t take advantage of the ones that could have been. I’m not only upset for myself but I’m a little bit upset for them as well that I’m not going to have a better chance tomorrow.”
Whether he wins or not, fans would hope for him to achieve an even better finish than last year. At his inaugural Andalucía event, Rahm finished T10. Outside LIV Golf, it’s a little different story. His best Real Club Valderrama finish came in 2019 with the Andalucía Masters (T2). However, despite his gloomy thoughts about his first two rounds, Rahm is hopeful. He said at the LIV Golf Andalucia press conference, “But I always like to think that things tend to even out throughout the week, and I’m hoping that those that I haven’t made today go in tomorrow.”
And Jon Rahm‘s statement seems promising, considering his consistency. Jon Rahm has scored 20 consecutive top-10 finishes in LIV Golf events until his recent T11 at the 2025 LIV Golf Dallas. He has also had an impressive run in majors, finishing in the top 10 in the last two and a T14 at the Masters, keeping him in the top 15 for all three this season.
So, Rahm is also playing some of his best golf, and he will likely achieve another top 10 in his home country. But if you ask Rahm, he would like to clinch a win in his home country. “If my first win of the year would be here, it would be quite special,” Rahm said. And here’s the thing: he isn’t the only Spaniard trying to make things work at Real Club Valderrama.
Sergio Garcia is looking for a repeat of last year at “my favorite course in the world”
During the 2025 LIV Golf Andalucía, Sergio Garcia said of his “favorite course in the world”: “It’s super special. Not only for me but for all of us because of how much Valderrama means to all of us, to Europe, all the amazing things that have happened here on this golf course.” And he has every reason to feel excited about the ongoing Andalucía event.
Sergio Garcia boasts an impressive record at Valderrama, where he won the LIV Golf Andalucía individual title in a playoff last year—his fourth victory at the course across all tours. Before that, Garcia had an 11th-place finish in the 2023 LIV Golf Andalucía event. Notably, last year’s win contributed to a historic achievement, as his Fireballs team also claimed the team title in a playoff, earning the team $3 million.
Golf – The 150th Open Championship – Old Course, St Andrews, Scotland, Britain – July 15, 2022 Spain’s Sergio Garcia walking to the 2nd tee during the second round REUTERS/Phil Noble
With 16 top-10 finishes in 17 career starts at Valderrama, Garcia demonstrates remarkable consistency at Valderrama. And he looks quite strong this season as well, having finished the first two rounds with scores of 73 and 69, respectively. “The only thing I can do is keep working hard, keep building my confidence up. If I’m able to do that, then it should be fine. We’ll see,” Garcia said. Then, he added, “It’s [Valderrama] been great to me.”
Outside of his Valderrama runs, Garcia’s season hasn’t been very strong. He started strong with a win at the 2025 LIV Golf Hong Kong, followed by top finishes in Macau and Miami. However, his form has slumped over the past three months, as he has made four consecutive LIV Golf starts without earning any points (finishing outside the top 24) and has delivered lackluster performances in non-LIV events, including the Masters, where he missed the cut.
With Rahm’s current concerns on the course, it’ll be intriguing to see whether he’ll bounce back to claim the win or if Garcia will capitalize on the opportunity.
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