LIV Golf to hand out diamond championship ring plus $14m bonus to winner

LIV Golf's new individual champion will not only walk away with a huge amount of cash but will now receive a gem-filled championship ring - featuring a next-generation piece of technology.

Jon Rahm and Joaquin Niemann will go head-to-head for the Saudi breakaway Tour's individual title starting on Friday at Bolingbrook Golf Club. The winner will receive $14 million as well as the glamorous ring.

The ring houses 5.78 carats of white diamonds and 1.2 carats of natural green emeralds, as well as 84.8 grams and 14-carat gold. It will also feature a QR code which, when scanned, will allow the winner to rewatch the moment they clinched the LIV Golf title.

The ring is similar to that given out to the winning teams of the NBA, NFL, and MLB. "I’m trying to picture what it looks like right now, and I can’t get that in my mind," Rahm, who received a reported $525.4 million last year to jump ship from the PGA Tour, said.

"It’s a lot. It’s definitely a lot. But honestly, who cares what it is as long as you’re the one that has it? That’s, I think, what most of us will be thinking. I think you would be lying to yourself if you said there’s nothing extra. We’re all aware it’s the last event, and for the two of us, obviously, we both want to win.

“I also believe that being able to be in this position and having those extra nerves is a privilege. We’re the only two in the entire league that are going to be feeling like that this week, so yeah, you have to embrace it and compete and still try to win but knowing there’s a lot more at stake if that doesn’t happen.”

Competitor Niemann joked that his wife wouldn't be a fan of him rocking a ring with more diamonds than that of what she wears. He added: "Probably my wife won’t be happy knowing that my ring would have more [diamonds]. No, I feel it’s pretty special. It’s a little different than other trophies, so it would be pretty cool to have an extra ring.”

Spaniard Rahm is leading by just under three points, with Niemann needing to make up ground. Rahm got himself into a strong position thanks to finishing in the top 10 in every event this season with one win. The win came after initial struggles to adapt.

Rahm took victory at LIV Golf UK by JCB in July. He also helped Legion XIII to its fourth team victory of the season at the same event. He won at the expense of teammate Tyrrell Hatton.

Hatton missed the par putt. “Obviously, you always want to win,” said Rahm following his first victory since the 2023 Masters. “Selfishly you always want to get that done. But you don't want to see a teammate and a good friend missing a putt for that to happen for me."