The Legion of Rahm: Defending Masters champion has a formidable LIV team with Hatton, Surratt
From the LIV Golf press release issued on the formation of the newest team captained by Jon Rahm — Legion XIII — it's hard to tell whether they're going to play golf or join the Roman Army for the storied Battle of Lake Regillus.
Rahm's team will make its debut this week at the LIV Golf event in Mayakoba, Mexico. All four team members are beginning their first season with LIV Golf. Rahm, the defending Masters champion who has 20 worldwide victories, joined last fall, Tyrrell Hatton, a six-time DP World Tour winner, announced his jump to LIV for a reported $63 million this week, Caleb Surratt has turned professional after less than two full seasons at the University of Tennessee and Kiernan Vincent, a former player for Liberty University, joined LIV Golf through a three-day qualifier in December.
Rahm and Hatton have a past: they won twice as Ryder Cup partners last year in Rome. Surratt and Vincent are two more examples of younger players forgoing the PGA Tour to play at LIV.
So in a golf tour that has taken on a Roman Numeral (54) for its name, Rahm is tossing more ancient alphabetics into the mix.
The "X" in Legion XIII refers to Rahm as the captain. The "III" is a reference to the three other members, Hatton, Surratt and Vincent, just in case it wasn't clear enough about Rahm being the Alpha Dog of the team.
Legion XIII also is the 13th LIV Golf team.
According to the LIV Golf release, the team name is "pulling from the attitude attributes of ‘proud’, ‘determined’, and ‘true’ ... Rahm infused his team’s DNA with honesty, emotion, and a sense of togetherness. United under the mantra ‘Together we play. Together we conquer.’, Legion XIII is bred by passion, energized by power, and full of pride."
Rahm goes a bit further in a statement about his team's identity — although presumably with a straight face given his sudden bolt from the PGA Tour.
“I wanted to go down the warrior spirit mythology side for the team's name,” he said. “The term loyalty is very important for me — I think it embodies the warrior spirit through its decisiveness and ready-for-battle mindset. During the Roman Empire, there was the iconic Legion XIII Gemina in Caesar’s army. They believed in the credo of faithful loyalty.”
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Brian Harman among area players on PAC
The PGA Tour's 2024 Players Advisory Council includes three area players, British Open champion Brian Harman and Keith Mitchell of St. Simons Island, Ga., and Lanto Griffin of Ponte Vedra Beach.
Two of the past three Players champions, Scottie Scheffler and Justin Thomas were also voted to the 16-member PAC by the Tour membership. Also voted on is former Florida Gator Camilo Villegas.
The rest of the PAC are Sam Burns, Nick Hardy, Max Homa, Mackenzie Hughes, Grayson Murray, Seamus Power, Adam Schenk, Kevin Streelman, Nick Taylor and Josh Teater.
Streelman and Villegas have been selected by the Player Directors to run for PAC Chairman via election, which ends February 27. The leading vote-getter will replace Jordan Spieth on Jan. 1, 2025, as a Player Director on the PGA Tour Policy Board and serve a three-year term from 2025 to 2027.
The other Player Directors are Patrick Cantlay (2024-26), Peter Malnati (2023-25), Adam Scott (2024-26), Webb Simpson (2023-25) and Tiger Woods.
Champions Tour event will include NFL players
The PGA Tour Champions even at the Old Course at Broken Sound in Boca Raton is moving to later in the spring and will involve NFL players.
The James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational will be April 4-6 in 2025, 78 Champions members and 26 football players with a $2.2 million purse. Format details are still being worked out.
It will be held a week before the Masters.
Tour launches tourism partnership
The PGA Tour and Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. announced a multi-year official marketing partnership that designates the country’s tourism arm as an official tourism sponsor of the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions.
The agreement, through 2027, will involve Barbados Tourism engaging across the PGA Tour landscape, including digital activations and creative content as well as at PGA Tour tournaments. The partnership will showcase Barbados as a world-class destination for business, recreation and leisure.
PGA TOUR
Event: AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, Thursday-Sunday, Pebble Beach Golf Links, Spyglass Hill Golf Club, Pebble Beach, Calif.
At stake: $20 million purse ($3.6 million and 700 FedEx Cup points to the winner).
Defending champion: Justin Rose.
TV: Golf Channel (Thursday-Friday, 3-7 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 1-3 p.m.); CBS (Saturday, 3-7 p.m.; Sunday, 3-6:30 p.m.).
Area players entered: Harris English, Brian Harman, Keith Mitchell, J.T. Poston, Sam Ryder.
Notable: Rose had weekend rounds of 65-66 and beat Brendon Todd and Brandon Wu by three shots. ... This is the first of seven “Signature Event” on the PGA Tour, with a field of 80, no cut and elevated purses and FedEx Cup points. ... Leading the field is world No. 1 and defending Players champion Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay, Collin Morikawa and Jordan Spieth.
LIV GOLF LEAGUE
Event: LIV Golf Mayakoba, Friday-Sunday, El Camaleon Golf Course, Mayakoba, Mexico.
At stake: $20 million purse ($4 million to the winner).
Defending champion: Charles Howell III.
TV: CW (Saturday-Sunday, 1-6 p.m.
Area players entered: Cameron Smith.
Notable: Howell shot 63 in the final round and beat Peter Uihlein by four shots.
KORN FERRY TOUR
Event: Panama Championship, Thursday-Sunday, Golf Club of Panama, Panama City, Pan.
At stake: $1 million purse ($180,000 to the winner).
Defending champion: Pierceson Coody.
TV: None.
Area players entered: Chris Baker, Fred Biondi, Jonathan Byrd, Philip Knowles, Russell Knox, Rick Lamb, Doc Redman, Jared Wole.
Notable: Coody birdied the first playoff hole to beat Sam Saunders and Mac Meissner. Coody shot 66 in the final round to come from five shots behind the lead.
ROAD TO THE PLAYERS
Dates: March 14-17.
Site: Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach.
Purse: $25 million ($4.5 million and 750 FedEx Cup points to the winner.
Defending champion: Scottie Scheffler.
Days until the first round: 43.
Tour events until The Players: Seven.
Notable: This will be the 50th Players Championship.
Players trivia: The all-time leading money winner in The Players, who has not won the tournament is Jim Furyk of Jacksonville, who is fourth on The Players money list with just over $4 million. Furyk has two second-place finishes and five top-10s.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jon Rahm has formed a LIV Golf team with lofty values of ancient Rome
