Like most other golfers, Jon Rahm had no idea about the breakthrough LIV Golf and PGA Tour merger.
The Masters champion has spoken out about his feelings on the two entities joining forces, following reports that those who remained loyal to the PGA Tour originally will soon be rewarded. One of the biggest controversies in the history of golf was when professionals started moving away from the PGA Tour after being incentivised with huge sums of money by LIV, but after 12 months of chaos they're set to combine.
Rahm was one of the players who declined an invitation by LIV, meaning he's in a similar spot to Rory McIlroy following the announcement. However, the Spaniard hasn't been as outspoken as McIlroy, meaning he hasn't been told by a LIV executive that he's 'not welcome'.
"No matter what happens, whether I agree with it or not, thanks to the PGA Tour," Rahm said during a news conference. The world No. 2 was at home in Arizona when finding out about the merger, but he doesn't feel too let down.
"They give me a platform to play golf at the highest level," Rahm added. "After taking advantage of that possibility, I'm in a situation where my family and my kids don't have to struggle financially ever, and I don't know how many generations I can help if I do it properly.
"I'm in a very high state of privilege in this world. I can do what I want. I can do what I love for a living. I have a blast every single day even though I get mad on the golf course every once in a while.
"When I start with that point of view, no matter what happens, I can only be thankful to what's going on. If things change, things change. I'm just -- I'll have to adapt to the situation and will have to make some decisions on what's going on forward, and I'll make some decisions."
Rahm also touched on how some of his PGA colleagues are feeling, with McIlroy in particular describing how "uncomfortable" he felt hearing the news. "I think the general feeling is that a lot of people feel a bit of betrayal from management," Rahm explained.
"I understand why they had to keep it so secret. I understand we couldn't make it through a PAC (Player Advisory Council) meeting with more than 10 minutes after people spilling the beans right away in some article by you guys already being out there. So I get it. I get the secrecy.
"It's just not easy as a player that's been involved, like many others, to wake up one day and see this bombshell. That's why we're all in a bit of a state of limbo because we don't know what's going on and how much is finalised and how much they can talk about, either."
Rahm has been targeted for some time by LIV Golf, although in a good way, but an unnamed executive told The Fire Pit Collective that McIlroy won't be getting an offer after taking some of his previous claims personally. "Now we can finally get Hideki [Matsuyama] and Jon Rahm," the executive said.
"I would say every big name on the PGA Tour will get an offer. Except Rory. Nobody wants that little b**** on their team."
