“Quite incredible” - Jon Rahm 'rates' Rory McIlroy's season and his stand against LIV Golf

Rory McIlroy has had a stellar year. The Irishman won multiple events, leading him to become World No. 1 in the Official Golf World Rankings. McIlroy’s strong stand against LIV Golf also landed him praise.

Following this, Jon Rahm has now come out to laud McIlroy for his year. The world No. 5 golfer hailed McIlroy's stand against LIV in tandem with his performances on the field.

Jon Rahm lauds McIlroy's stance against LIV

Speaking ahead of the 2022 DP World Tour Championship, Rahm was full of praise for his fellow LIV opponent.

Responding to a query on how he "rates" the Irish star's year, Rahm said:

"How do I rate? You're putting me in a difficult position here… He's played amazing golf to win the FedExCup, and to have a chance to win the Race to Dubai as well, it's unique. This would be I think the second time in his career he wins both, which is quite an accomplishment. He's played amazing.”

He added:

"I think the only thing he will tell you that's missing is a major championship of having a pretty amazing year. It's great to see somebody with his platform to take a stand as he did, whether you agree with it or not, he's taken a stand on what he believes in and that's it. I think it's great.”

Rahm, who has been vocal about his support for the PGA Tour in its fight against LIV Golf, also lauded McIlroy for taking a ‘stand.’ The Spanish golfer said that the Irishman’s positioning in the issue was "quite incredible."

He added:

"He's had a lot of input. He's been on the board of the PGA Tour and tried to make a change. To be honest, with how long those meetings are and how much as players we talk to each other to play as good as he has, is pretty remarkable. I mean, in this profession, we are all basically CEOs of our own little golf company, and now he has invested in so much more. Again, the role he's had in both is quite incredible."

It is pertinent to note that Rory McIlroy had earlier faced criticism for the same. During the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup playoffs, some players slammed McIlroy after he and Tiger Woods spearheaded meetings that led to big changes in the PGA-LIV fight.

One anonymous PGA Tour pro even called out the Irish golfer by stating that the American circuit could be renamed "The Rory Tour" considering his stake in it. However, Rahm seems impressed by McIlroy. His words are highly regarded for the world number one's on- and off-course performances.

Jon Rahm concerned about Sergio Garcia's legacy

While Jon Rahm was appreciative of McIlroy’s efforts, he showed concern for Ryder Cup legend Sergio Garcia. Speaking about Garcia, who was one of the first to defect to LIV Golf, Rahm said that he was worried about his legacy.

Speaking about his fellow Spaniard, Jon Rahm said he hopes Garcia's legacy remains untarnished despite his move to the rebel series.

He said:

"I hope not [Garcia's legacy affected]. It's very unprecedented, right, what we've been dealing with in the game of golf, in the last...it hasn't even been that long, what, six months. And there's certainly going to be a before and after at some point, and there's definitely some division going on.”

He added:

"But I think to the core fans who have been fans of Sergio, I don't think they care, really, where he plays. Some of them might, but most of them I don't really think they care… He's done a lot for the game of golf, so it would be sad to see that change."

It is pertinent to note that Garcia’s decision to join LIV sent shockwaves amongst both fans and players. The Spaniard, with over 320 tournament appearances, was a legend on the European tour.