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Jon Rahm made an albatross at LIV Golf Virginia that somehow got past, well, almost everybody

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[Photo: Eurasia Sport Images]

Just the fifth albatross in LIV Golf history appeared to initially elude the broadcast and the league’s leaderboard shot-replay function after Jon Rahm holed his second shot at the par-5 17th hole at Trump National Washington DC during the final round of the LIV Golf Virginia event. Suffice it to say, the accomplishment didn’t get past social media, where it caused a stir of sorts.

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In fairness to the broadcast, the Spaniard was one-over-par for his round (11-under for the tournament) and 13 shots off the lead at the time. That was courtesy of a colourful scorecard featuring an opening eagle at the par-5 second (his shotgun-start hole), a double-bogey, three bogeys and two birdies.

When he reached the 17th, his 16th hole of the final round, Rahm hit a 294-metre drive that faded into the right rough. With 198 metres remaining for his second shot, Rahm holed out for a 2.

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Video footage from the X account of Rahm’s LIV team, Legion XIII, managed to capture the shot from distance.

From a slight downslope, Rahm struck an iron and waited for the ball to land on the green. When the crowd went wild, the two-time LIV winner in 2026 looked around for confirmation the ball had gone in the hole for an albatross. He asked playing partners via a hand gesture pointing to the ground if the ball had disappeared.

When it was confirmed, Rahm raised his hands and club in the air before high-fiving playing partner Graeme McDowell.

On the LIV Golf leaderboard – which allows users to replay footage from holes – Rahm’s tee shot is captured but not the second. Instead, Rahm’s shot profile appears to show playing partner Thomas Detry lining up for his shot.

Social-media accounts such as NUCLR Golf questioned whether the shot was shown on the broadcast.

The two-time major winner went on to make par on the 18th and birdie on his closing hole, the first, to finish with a 69 and close the tournament with a 15-under score, tying him for eighth behind winner Lucas Herbert at 24-under.

Rahm’s albatross was the fifth for LIV Golf, after Brendan Steele (2024 Greenbrier) and Richard Bland (2025 Mexico City), before David Puig and Sergio Garcia both recorded the rare score in the same round (round two) at LIV Golf Adelaide this year.