Jon Rahm is rarely the underdog in golf. Known as the fiery competitor with an iron will, he found himself cast in that role on Saturday at the LIV Golf Team Championship in Michigan, facing a crowd almost entirely behind Phil Mickelson.

After defeating Mickelson’s HyFlyers 2-1, Rahm admitted that it was an unusual but oddly enjoyable experience. “I sort of felt like the underdog today because the entire crowd was wanting Phil to win, which was understandable. I’m not in familiar territory, but it was nice to almost in a weird way, feel like the villain for the day in a very weird way.”

The atmosphere on the 1st tee set the tone. Fans had poured in to see Phil Mickelson, who is LIV’s familiar and oldest face; on the other hand, Jon Rahm is a recent addition, having joined LIV two years ago in 2023. So he knew right away who the crowd wanted to see advance, but he thrived on that tension.

“The crowd was great. I know it’s an earlier tee time, a lot of people might rather be home watching football, but it was quite a few people out there, and they were present. You could hear them everywhere…Those echoes across the course are incredible,“ he said in the post-match press conference.

Rahm’s Legion XIII had entered the Tournament as the top seed, having collected four wins across the 2025 season. Mickelson’s HyFlyers, meanwhile, were barely supposed to be here at all. Slotted at No. 10, they’d stunned the third-seeded Fireballs GC in the quarterfinals with a clean sweep. That upset set up the ultimate clash, though it was made more personal when Rahm, as captain, selected Mickelson’s team for the semifinal and then deliberately chose Lefty as his singles opponent.

And he delivered on that. The Spaniard closed things out 3 & 1, three holes up with just one left to play, putting the result beyond doubt. FOX Sports summed it up best: Rahm set the tone. And this tone was carried through the rest of the tie. Legion XIII also picked up a foursomes point, sealing their passage to the championship match and ending Mickelson’s run. Even Bryson DeChambeau couldn’t help but admire their face-off. “…you could see a sea of people coming down 1 for Jon and Phil. That was really cool to see,” he shared. His team, too, defeated long-time rival Brooks Kopeka’s Smash GC, after the latter fired at him for not facing him off in the semis.

Coming back to Jon Rahm, this victory carries extra weight. Just a day earlier, he had lost his singles match to Adrian Meronk, leaving his teammates to bail him out in the quarterfinals. Beating Mickelson not only pushed Legion XIII through but re-established his reputation as the closer his team can count on under pressure. Moreover, his relationship with Mickelson was an added layer of intrigue. Both are Arizona State alumni (ASU), with Mickelson being the senior. Rahm was even coached by Mickelson’s brother, Tim, during his time at ASU. Other than this, the duo often practices together and has done a YouTube video in the past alongside Josh Allen and Grant Horvat, where Rahm lost to Mickelson.

When asked about how different this showdown was compared to the video, Rahm admitted that this was entirely opposite. In the YouTube video, there was quite back-and-forth banter between the two, but here it was not like that at all. The only thing that came close to an altercation was when Rahm didn’t concede Mickelson a short putt on 11, reminding him that he’d been made to putt on 10. “I knew he was going to make me putt it. I told him now we’re even. Move on and have a good day. That was the only thing we talked about,” shared the Spaniard. Mickelson laughed it off, but Rahm was glad to finally have bragging rights in their friendship. “After our banter many times, I am happy that whenever he brings up me losing to him and Grant, I can just hold it over his head. That’s the most recent win.”

Although he lost the match, Mickelson might have heaved a sigh of relief as for once the hate was not directed towards him.

The continued saga of Phil Mickelson’s hate

Phil Mickelson has increasingly found himself in the crosshairs of fans ever since joining LIV Golf, and the 2023 US Open in LA was no exception. On his 53rd birthday, he was loudly heckled, with a reference to the $200 million he had received to leave the PGA Tour. One fan shouted insults with phrases like “red lipstick and nine-inch heels” and “Victoria’s Secret sponsorship” as Mickelson walked from the 14th green to the 15th tee, while others tried to drown out the noise with birthday cheers. Despite shooting a 4-over 74 and missing the cut, Mickleson acknowledged the fans with a thumbs-up or a tip of the cap.

The same scene had unfolded a year earlier at the 2022 U.S. Open on his birthday. While most of the crowd offered support, a vocal minority made their displeasure clear with chants like “YA SELLOUT!!” “Greed is good, Phil!” and “We hate you, Phil!” as he approached the sixth tee. The contrast was telling: a player long adored by fans now had to navigate scrutiny for his move to LIV Golf. Yet, the semifinals in Michigan suggest that the negativity is easing, and some of the old admiration from fans is returning.