Jon Rahm’s “thankful” LIV Golf comments explain proposed £475million PGA Tour exit
Jon Rahm is one of the biggest names in European sports and could soon be leaving the PGA Tour for LIV Golf. A £475m deal is on the table.
Jon Rahm spoke highly of LIV Golf as questions about his PGA Tour future continue to dominate the golf world.
Rahm, 29, is in talks with LIV Golf management about a possible departure from the PGA Tour. There is no deal yet between the Masters champion and the Saudi-backed tour, but rumors suggest he could receive a £475m salary. High-profile stars including Rory McIlroy have pulled out of LIV Golf, while Ian Poulter and Phil Mickelson have also joined the controversial tournament. But Rahm, who won the 2021 US Open at Torrey Pines, has spent most of his LIV golf career online. Rahm has previously said he wants to continue playing in the biggest tournaments like the Majors, but he can also see why some of the biggest names in the sport have joined LIV Golf. He even said that last year’s PGA Tour players were “pleased” with LIV Golf. The PGA Tour, which has since partnered with Saudi Arabia, has persuaded some of its biggest stars to ditch LIV Golf by adjusting its schedule and increasing prize money. “I feel grateful to have LIV,” Rahm said last December. “I don’t know if this change would have happened without LIV in the picture. So I have to be somewhat grateful…” I think this year (2022 when LIV Golf launches) has been a bad year for golf. Yes, there are divisions, but I think we are moving forward. “Like I said, we’ve made a lot of changes to the look of LIV in this regard. I don’t think that’s a bad thing. I just hope the downside, like this whole thing, feels like it takes the animosity out of it… LIV can do that, the PGA Tour can do that.”
Rahm previously admitted that he might “see the appeal that other people see in LIV Golf.” However, it does test the 54-hole format. “For me, the three-day shotgun is not a golf tournament or a cut,” the Spaniard admitted. \”It’s very simple.\”
It is not yet known if Rahm will commit and join LIV Golf. Bunkered said it is in discussions with the county, chaired by Greg Norman. A source told Golf Outlet that Rahm is “closer to joining than ever.”
Rahm left the TGL, a new league co-founded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy with the PGA Tour. The two-time major winner’s decision to withdraw from TGL has sparked speculation about his future.
