Jon Rahm is formally leaving the PGA Tour for LIV Golf.
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It’s official: Jon Rahm is leaving the PGA Tour to affix LIV Golf in a transfer that may reverberate all through the professional golf world.
After weeks of hypothesis on Rahm’s intentions to affix the upstart Saudi-funded golf league, Rahm introduced in a press convention Thursday that he has certainly signed on to play for LIV. The deal is reportedly value 9 figures.
Rahm, the World No. 3, represents LIV Golf’s largest coup for the reason that tour launched two years in the past. Rahm has been one of many main gamers on the PGA Tour for the previous few years, capturing two majors, together with the 2021 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines and his first Masters title at Augusta Nationwide this previous April.
In all, Rahm secured 11 PGA Tour victories in his eight-year profession. This previous season, Rahm received 4 occasions and amassed a complete of 10 top-10s.
“The previous two years, there’s been a number of evolving within the sport of golf, proper?” Rahm mentioned by the use of explaining his choice. “Issues have modified loads, and. And so have I. Seeing the expansion of LIV Golf, seeing the evolution of LIV Golf and the innovation is one thing that’s actually captured my consideration. And that’s why we’re right here immediately.”
When requested how he deliberate to cope with the inevitable backlash he’ll obtain from deserting the PGA Tour for LIV riches, Rahm mentioned, “Each choice I really feel like we make in life, there can be any individual who agrees and likes it and any individual who does it, proper? I’ve made this choice as a result of I consider is the very best for me and my household. And everyone’s been in a position to speak to has been actually supportive of me. So I’m very comfy with my place.”
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The timing of the announcement can be notable. Whereas the PGA Tour and the Saudi Arabia Public Funding Fund (PIF), which owns and operates LIV Golf, introduced a framework settlement this spring, the deal shouldn’t be official. Each events have a deadline of Dec. 31 to finalize their partnership.
The query now could be how Rahm’s departure from the Tour will influence these negotiations. Rahm mentioned he is aware of little concerning the standing of the framework settlement and regardless of the future would possibly maintain for a LIV-PGA Tour partnership didn’t issue into his choice. When requested about how his bounce to LIV would possibly have an effect on the PGA Tour, Rahm mentioned, “I actually haven’t considered it.”
Because the conflict between the PGA Tour and LIV roiled professional golf over the previous two years, Rahm has remained impartial together with his public feedback, avoiding direct criticism that turned the norm from different main Tour execs like Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods.
On the 2022 PGA Championship, Rahm was requested concerning the feud and mentioned, “I’m the flawed participant to ask. I didn’t actually care in that sense. I by no means received into the feud. I’ve by no means had any adverse emotions in the direction of any participant that went over to LIV.”
He additionally commented on what he envisioned for the way forward for LIV.
“All of it relies upon who you speak to,” Rahm mentioned in Could. “In case you speak to a LIV participant, that is going to be nice, it’s solely going to get higher. You speak to folks on the opposite facet, in two years they’re going to be performed. I actually couldn’t let you know. I’ve no clue. I actually haven’t any clue.”
Nonetheless, as lately as June, Rahm additionally mentioned the sort of cash that LIV might supply him wouldn’t change his way of life, including, “I’ve by no means performed the sport of golf for financial causes. I play for the love of the sport and I wish to play towards the very best on this planet. I’ve at all times been fascinated about historical past and legacy and proper now the PGA Tour has that.” Of LIV’s unconventional aggressive format, he added: “Shotgun, three days shouldn’t be a golf match — no lower. It’s that straightforward.”
When requested on Thursday how he reconciles these remarks, Rahm mentioned: “There’s at all times going to be some issues that aren’t excellent, however that’s the scenario in everyone’s life. Some issues I can dwell with. With that mentioned, once more, [LIV is] an ever-growing and ever-changing machine, proper? So I’m hopeful that the leaders of LIV Golf might hearken to a few of my recommendation and possibly see some modifications sooner or later for the higher of the sport.”
In September 2022, Rahm shot down rumors that he was becoming a member of LIV, responding to a different X account’s report by writing, “I have to inform you that you’ve got began a shedding streak since you and your supply are flawed. I wish to thanks for the raise within the PIP.”
After the PGA Tour made a collection of modifications gamers favored to fight LIV, together with massively rising purse sizes at designated occasions, Rahm admitted that the arrival of LIV Golf was the catalyst for these modifications.
“I imply, no doubt. With out LIV Golf, this wouldn’t have occurred. So to an extent, like I’ve mentioned earlier than, we needs to be grateful this menace has made the PGA Tour wish to change issues. I feel I mentioned it final week, as properly; I want it didn’t come to the PGA Tour being, you recognize, beneath hearth from any individual else to make these modifications and make issues higher for the gamers, however I assume it’s what we wanted. So, yeah, it’s due to LIV Golf. In any other case, we wouldn’t have seen any of this.”
Again in November, Rahm made a shock announcement that he had modified his thoughts and wouldn’t be taking part within the new TGL golf league began by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy.
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The announcement fueled additional hypothesis over Rahm’s future, and each McIlroy and Woods had been requested about the potential of Rahm becoming a member of LIV within the aftermath.
Throughout a press occasion for his TGL workforce Boston Commons, McIlroy mentioned, “I spoke to Jon [Rahm] a pair days in the past and can be very, very stunned if that had been to occur. I’m fairly assured Jon is a PGA Tour participant.”
Then, on the Hero World Problem final week, Woods was requested if he was stunned concerning the rumors of extra gamers ditching the Tour for LIV, to which Woods replied, “I don’t — hypothetically would it not shock me, sure, however there’s so many various issues which have occurred within the final, as you mentioned, 48 hours but additionally in the previous couple of weeks. Issues have modified and can proceed to vary. Our deadline’s developing right here quickly, so there’s a number of transferring components. A number of various things are taking place in a short time as a result of we all know, you recognize, I feel immediately’s the primary day in December; we don’t have a complete lot of time.”
Rahm becoming a member of LIV undoubtedly is a public-relations win for the two-year-old league: In 2024, the defending champions of the primary two majors of the yr will likely be LIV gamers, Rahm on the Masters and Brooks Koepka on the PGA Championship.
