Jon Rahm has been confirmed as the latest elite golfer to join up with LIV Golf, signing for next season in a deal that is reportedly worth up to £450m.
The announcement on Thursday night could mark a seismic shift in where the power lies in anticipated talks between the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF), who bankroll LIV, and the PGA Tour.
Discussions between the two parties are expected this month to try and resolve the future of the sport, after golf has spent the past couple of years either side of a bitter split since LIV launched their rival tour - only for a surprise merger agreement to be sprung on players in June of this year.
Rahm, however, as the current Masters champion and one of the world’s top players, will be seen as an enormous coup for LIV Golf, given some other top names including Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy have remained steadfastly opposed to joining them.
Earlier this month, the Spaniard had pulled out of the inaugral TGL season set up by Woods, citing an inability to match the levels of commitment needed to partake. He made no reference at the time to joining LIV Golf but rumours had already begun to spread by that time.
In a conference call on Thursday, Rahm looked to explain the reasons behind a decision which is set to again cause controversy within the sport.
“Every decision I feel like we make in life there will be somebody who agrees and likes it and somebody who doesn’t, right,” Rahm said.
“I made this decision because I believe it’s the best for me and my family and everybody I’ve been able to talk to has been really supportive of me, so I’m very comfortable with my decision.
“I’m no stranger to hearing some negative things on social media or in media. It’s part of what it is, we’re public figures but you just learn to deal with it right? This certainly won’t define who I am or change who I am.”
Jon Rahm celebrates with the Masters trophy— (Getty Images)
Rahm played a leading role in Europe’s Ryder Cup victory in Rome this year – but joining LIV places his future in the contest in serious jeopardy as he needs to remain a DP World Tour member to be eligible.
On his Ryder Cup future, Rahm said in the conference call: “My position with the Ryder Cup stands as it’s always been. I love the Ryder Cup.
“I’ve explained many times how meaningful it is to me and I surely hope I can be in future editions of the Ryder Cup.
“That’s not up to me right now, but if it was up to me, I’ll be eligible to play so I surely hope I can keep up the good golf, keep playing good golf and give them a reason to have me on the team.”
Rahm previously insisted financial rewards and the format of LIV Golf did not interest him, saying then “I want to play against the best in the world in a format that’s been going on for hundreds of years.”
Jordan Spieth, a fellow golfer and member of the PGA Tour’s policy board, recently spoke about the possibility of Rahm moving Tours and acknowledged he’d be a massive loss.
“Rahm is one of the biggest assets that we have on the PGA Tour,” he said at the time. “I know there’s been some guys that have talked to him. I know he’s maybe weighing some decisions … I could speak probably on behalf of 200-plus PGA Tour players in saying that we really hope that he’s continuing with us.”
However, after signing on with LIV, the Spaniard said: “Obviously the past two years there’s been a lot of evolving on the game of golf, things have changed a lot and so have I.
“Seeing the growth of LIV Golf, seeing the evolution of LIV Golf and innovation is something that has really captured my attention.
“I think the growth that I’ve seen and how it’s become a global business, right, and how we can impact golf globally, and in a much meaningful way, is something that’s been very enticing.
“For all those things that I like about this movement, there’s always going to be some things that are not perfect, but that’s the situation in everybody’s life.
“With that said, it’s an ever-growing and ever-changing machine, right. So I’m hopeful that the leaders of LIV Golf might listen to some of my advice and maybe see some changes in the future for the better of the game.”
