SEOUL: Former world No. 1 Jon Rahm said Wednesday he had not done himself “any favors” in his winless start to the season ahead of LIV Golf’s South Korea debut.

The Spaniard has endured an indifferent 2025 by his own lofty standards, admitting “small mistakes” had cost him.

He failed to mount a serious challenge at last month’s Masters and he vowed to clean up his game in South Korea with the second major of the year, the PGA Championship, only two weeks away.

“I’m just not doing everything I need to do right,” Rahm said ahead of LIV Golf Korea, which will also feature US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau, who played alongside eventual winner Rory McIlroy in the final group at Augusta.

“Sometimes you also need a little bit of luck in your favor, not that I haven’t been lucky.

“I just haven’t done myself any favors on the golf course, I would say it like that,” added Rahm.

The two-time major winner will tee off in Friday’s first round at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club in Incheon alongside the in-form Joaquin Niemann of Chile, who won his third LIV tournament of the season in Mexico last weekend.

The 2023 Augusta champion had a frustrating time at this year’s Masters, starting poorly with a three-over 75 and leaving himself with too much to do heading into the weekend.

He picked up his game but the damage had been done as he finished eight shots behind McIlroy for a share of 14th place.

Rahm was second in the Saudi-backed breakaway circuit’s season-opening event in Riyadh and has finished in the top 10 in all six tournaments, which have a field of 54 players.

“While I like having top 10s and I like being a good player week-in and week-out, winning obviously is what matters more,” he said.

“I would gladly give up some of those top 10s for more wins.

“I keep playing well, I keep putting myself close enough, just every once in a while there’s been enough mistakes where I’m just not quite close enough going into the back nine on Sunday.”

Niemann’s victory in Mexico secured his berth at the US Open at Oakmont in June.

The Chilean added to the titles he won in Singapore and Adelaide this season.

“It’s been an exciting last six events here at LIV, the way I’ve been playing, the way I’ve been feeling on the course,” said the 26-year-old.

“I felt like there’s been a lot of trust and a lot of faith in the work that I’ve been putting in.”

HOUSTON: South Korea’s Haeran Ryu and Japan’s Mao Saigo, both aided by long birdies, shared the lead after Saturday’s third round of the LPGA Chevron Championship.

Ryu fired a 4-under par 68 and Saigo shot 69 to leave each on 9-under 207 after 54 holes at Carlton Woods in the year’s first major women’s tournament.

“Another good day,” Ryu said. “I was just trying for the good spots, for the easy putts, and I wanted to try to make some birdies. That was good for me.”

American Lindy Duncan was third on 208 with American Sarah Schmelzel and China’s Liu Yan on 209.

After a bogey at the third hole and a birdie at the par-5 fourth, Ryu reeled off four birdies to close the front nine, the last a spectacular chip-in from well off the front of the green.

“I just think, wow, it’s amazing,” said Ryu, who parred her way through the back nine.

Saigo, however, was not to be outdone. She made a birdie at the par-three third, took a bogey at the fifth, answered with birdies at the sixth and par-five eighth and then holed out from the fringe at the par-five 13th to reach nine-under.

“The course condition was pretty hard. It was pretty difficult to make birdies so I kind of struggled,” Saigo said. “Two of them were chip-in birdies from outside, so I was pretty lucky.”

Both co-leaders are chasing their first major title.

“I think that’s a good pressure for me,” Ryu said. “I don’t have a major trophy in my home, so that’s a goal for my life and in golf.”

Saigo added, “I just need to focus on my golf game (and) try to control my mental control and hopefully I’ll win.”

Ryu led by a stroke entering last year’s final round but shot 74 and finished fifth.

“Last year the final round for me was not good,” Ryu said. “But I learned to be more calm and more comfortable and more slow. This year I wish to be more enjoying the course.”

Liu shared the lead at 9-under until a stumble at the par-three 17th, where she found a bunker, then chipped into sloped rough just above the bunker on the way to a double bogey.

Winds tested players in the late afternoon.

“The front nine was so good for me,” she said. “The back nine was such a challenge for me because the wind started to be stronger and the pins were so tough.”

“Definitely tested my patience out there,” Schmelzel said. “I’m sure there will be more of that tomorrow.”