Rahm, 31, finished the final round on 23 under, three shots clear of second-placed Thomas Detry of Belgium.
Entering the fourth and final day locked in a three-way tie for first with Detry and American Harold Varner III, Rahm capitalised on a dominant showing over the previous three rounds to snap an 18-month victory drought – finishing with 28 birdies and an eagle to pick up his first trophy on the Liv circuit since Chicago in September 2024.
“Very relieving,” Rahm said of his win.
“That’s the only way I can describe it. I’ve been very ecstatic for wins in the past, and this one feels like a big weight off my shoulders. That’s all I can say.”
He also spoke highly of the course at Hong Kong Golf Club, having made his first appearance at the SAR edition of the tournament in March 2024.
“I didn’t realise how fun of a golf course and how fun of a city this was,” Rahm noted. “There’s very few combinations in my mind of golf course and venue as a city that can rival this week.
“It’s undoubtedly one of the best cities in the world.”
Belgium’s Thomas Pieters ended the day in third on 19 under, with Varner III a stroke behind in fourth.
In the team event, Dustin Johnson’s 4Aces GC notched their first title in three years after closing out the event in Hong Kong on 58 under – six strokes ahead of second-placed Smash GC.
“It feels good. Obviously it’s always good to be on top,” team captain Johnson told reporters. “To finally get a win after a few years without having one, I’m very proud of the guys. Obviously we have a completely new team, but I think we have a very strong team. I’m very happy with them.”
The team had finished third on the podium at the season’s opening tournaments in Riyadh and Adelaide in February.
Fans had flocked to Fanling since Thursday’s opening round to witness the festivities under favourable sunny conditions, with some arriving from overseas hoping to catch a glimpse of the sport’s biggest names on the final day.
Luke, who arrived in Hong Kong for the first time as an exchange student from New York two months ago, traveled to Fanling well before gates opened.
“Amazing, I love it so much. I really enjoy the city,” he told RTHK.
“I love the nature around [the course]. Even the fact that I’m just of outside the city and there’s a beautiful golf course… that’s not something I see in New York. I think that’s been unreal. The weather’s been so nice.”
He also spoke highly of the fan village set up near hole one, which boasted interactive, family-friendly games, snack bars, local DJ’s, and cooking demonstrations from world-class chefs.
“The people have been super hospitable. A lot of English speakers, which is helpful for me – I don’t speak a lick of Cantonese. So I’ve been super impressed, very happy. I can totally see myself coming back here in the future.”
Tim, a local resident, came to watch the final day of the tournament with his family.
“The kids loved [the fan village],” he said with a smile. “We’ve really had to struggle to get them out of the fan village.”
He added that Liv’s shift to a four-day event this season opened up more chances for fans to be immersed in the action first-hand, marking a significant change from the league’s initial three-day, 54-hole structure.
“It’s good, it gives people more opportunities to get out there and watch the game and get more involved in it. I think it’s a really good concept,” he said.
The tournament in Hong Kong is the third stop of the Liv Golf 2026 season, before heading to Singapore on March 12 to 15.
Edited by Aaron Tam
