Golf used to be celebrated with jackets and silverware. But LIV Golf introduced something America understands better than almost any sport: Rings. Taking a cue from the NBA, NFL, and MLB, they started with the 2023 LIV Golf Individual Championship ring. And the reactions? Priceless.
Bubba Watson, captain of LIV Golf’s RangeGoats GC team, called it “a beautiful ring.” And he wasn’t wrong. Crafted in solid 14k gold with 10 carats of diamonds, it was wow-worthy. But 2025? Bigger. Better. Blingier.
Cast in 80 grams of 14k gold and lit with 13 carats of black and white diamonds, the 2025 champion’s ring is a cathedral-inspired design. Two interlocking rings transform into a golf ball display, while the engraved logo, “Individual Champion” mark, and a hidden QR-enabled ball marker complete the ultimate fusion of sport, style, and innovation.
Made by Los Angeles jeweler IF & Co., led by Ben Baller, it’s unapologetically modern, purposely viral, and unmistakably American. And the best part? The champion doesn’t just get the ring; they walk away with a unique piece of history and a bonus pool of $30 million, with the winner receiving $18 million, second place earning $8 million, and third place $4 million. And yet, none of this would exist without the ones who first imagined championship rings more than a century ago.
The history behind championship rings
1893 – Montreal Hockey Club (MHC)
The Montreal Hockey Club, winners of the first Stanley Cup, was credited with introducing hockey’s earliest championship rings. Simple yet historic, they featured crossed sticks and “MHC,” crafted in gold by a local Montreal jeweler, with a “15K” stamp.
1922 – New York Giants (MLB)
The New York Giants were the first MLB team to award World Series rings in 1922. Crafted from 14k gold by Dieges & Clust, the ring featured a baseball-diamond motif topped with a single diamond. Inside, outfielder Ralph Shinners’ name was ornately engraved.
1967 – Green Bay Packers (NFL)
After winning Super Bowl I, the Packers received the first-ever Super Bowl rings. Designed by Vince Lombardi with Jostens, the 10k gold ring featured a one-carat diamond set in a white-gold globe, the NFL shield, game score, and words like “Green Bay Packers…World Champions.”
1997-98: Chicago Bulls (NBA)
By the late 1990s, championship rings had become showpieces. Cast from 14k gold and set with 1.5 carats of diamonds, it featured a bold princess-cut diamond in the center.
And now, more than a century after MHC’s simple band, LIV Golf has become the first modern golf league to adopt and elevate this jewelry tradition. But what makes them modern? Haven’t the NFL and NBA already set the gold standard?
Comparing the NFL, NBA, and LIV Golf victory rings
LIV Golf Championship Rings (2023–2025)
2023: Crafted by IF & Co. and designed by Ben Baller. Made from 14k gold with approximately 10 carats, including VS and VVS clarity diamonds. LIV Golf and Crushers GC logos, VS+ white diamonds, and high-polished gold finishings. Estimated Value: around $20,000-$30,000.
2025: Ben Baller and IF & Co. took things up a notch. The 2025 ring is heavier, flashier, and smarter, nearly 80 grams of 14k gold, sparkling with 13 carats of black and white diamonds in a cathedral-inspired design. It even hides a ball marker with a QR code that lets fans relive the champion’s moment. Estimated Value: around $30,000.
NFL Super Bowl Rings (2023–2025)
2023 Kansas City Chiefs: Crafted by Jostens, this ring featured 529 diamonds and 38 rubies totaling 14.8 carats. The top showcases the Chiefs logo in 16 custom-cut rubies outlined in yellow gold, set on a football-shaped field of 19 round diamonds representing the team’s 19 total wins. Three marquise diamonds at the top signify the Chiefs’ three Super Bowl victories under the current ownership, while 50 additional diamonds surround the football field for added brilliance and detail. Estimated Value: Approximately $40,000 per ring.
2025 (Super Bowl LVIII): Crafted by Jostens, this ring is a modern masterpiece. It features 529 diamonds and 38 rubies, totaling 14.8 carats. Four marquise diamonds honor the franchise’s four Lombardi Trophies, while the Super Bowl LVIII logo is set in white gold with 19 round diamonds and one marquise diamond—estimated Value: $30,000–$50,000 each.
NBA Championship Rings (2023–2025)
2023 Denver Nuggets: Jason of Beverly Hills brought the “ring-in-a-ring” concept to life, combining over 16 carats of diamonds, rubies, and sapphires. The design features a retractable compartment revealing the championship banner. Estimated value: Approx: $75,000–$100,000 per player.
2025 (Oklahoma City Thunder): Exact details and cost for the 2025 Thunder ring are not yet public, but NBA championship rings generally range from $10,000 to $40,000, with premium designs surpassing $100,000 depending on materials and customization. Given the franchise’s milestone victory and Oklahoma City’s passionate fan base, the 2025 Thunder ring, funded by team ownership, is expected to sit at the high end of that spectrum.
Golf is changing, and LIV Golf is leading the charge, nudging even the PGA Tour to rethink traditions it once held sacred.
Rings vs. Trophies: Redefining what it means to win
Until recently, championship rings were exclusive to the Big Four leagues. Golf had its silverware, green jackets, and timeless trophies, but never rings. That changed in 2023. Each year’s ring isn’t just a repeat; it’s a “one-of-one” collectible. For instance, Jon Rahm’s 2024 ring featured an embossed QR code and UV enamel, while 2025’s ring is heavier and has a cathedral design. The message was clear: LIV Golf wanted to make rings part of golf’s story. But what about the PGA? Is the Wanamaker Trophy still the crown jewel?
Well, Scottie Scheffler won the 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, and with it, he received $3.42 million. So, yes, the PGA Tour, by contrast, has long avoided such “gimmicks.” Its culture prizes tradition, prestige, and timeless trophies over flashy jewelry. Yet by 2024, LIV’s innovation was impossible to ignore. Rory McIlroy received the PGA Tour’s first-ever championship ring, encrusted with over 450 stones and centered on the iconic RBC Trophy. But that was only a one-time gesture for that season, nothing official or recurring. But why are some sports now giving rings or flashy memorabilia instead of just money, like the PGA does?
Why do LIV Golf rings mean more than money?
Some sports are giving rings instead of just money because these items carry emotional and cultural value that cash alone can’t match. A trophy belongs to an institution. A jacket sits in a closet. But a ring? A ring belongs to a person-a wearable symbol of identity and achievement. That’s what makes LIV Golf’s move so powerful. And LIV Golf isn’t stopping at just jewelry.
They’ve pushed the boundaries with interactive tech and fan-first experiences. From AI-powered graphics to “Any Shot, Any Time” live streams, fans can engage with the sport like never before. The QR code embedded in each ring links fans directly to personalized content celebrating the player’s victory. So, who will earn the 2025 LIV Golf Individual Championship Ring?
It goes to the player who accumulates the most points across the 14-event season. As of August 2025, Joaquin Niemann leads the standings with five wins in 11 starts, closely followed by Jon Rahm. The final event in Indianapolis, August 21-23, will decide who claims the championship ring. Looking back, the very first LIV Golf Individual Championship Ring was awarded in 2023 to Talor Gooch, following his victory at the LIV Golf Jeddah event in Saudi Arabia.
At the end of the day, LIV Golf’s rings aren’t just luxury bling- they’re stories you can wear, memories you can carry, and a whole new way for fans to connect with the game. But will other sports adopt this model? Imagine this: a Wimbledon ring? An Olympic sprinter’s band that plays motion-triggered highlights? Sounds wild, right? One truth is clear: LIV Golf has forced a rethinking of how you celebrate victory, not just with trophies, but with rings designed to be lived with, carried, and remembered. The big question now: who will be next to make this happen?
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