Tony Finau could be the latest name to leave the PGA Tour in favour of the LIV Golf League, according to multiple reports.
The Telegraph is claiming Finau has already begun discussions about becoming the second member of Jon Rahm's as-yet-unnamed LIV Golf team - following the Spaniard's extraordinary switch on Thursday - and could be in line for a near-$70 million deal.
The 34-year-old won twice last season - lifting the Houston Open and the Mexico Open - while claiming $5,867,652 in prize money after missing only four cuts. He did only manage one top-10, however, after success in Mexico in late-April and recorded a best finish of T26 at a Major (The Masters).
Finau and Rahm are neighbours in Arizona and regularly practiced together when not competing on the PGA Tour. Should the World No. 21 agree a move, it would see the pair reunited on the 54-hole circuit ahead of the 2024 campaign.
The British newspaper also stated that it understood one of the conditions in Rahm's contract is that the World No. 3 could pick at least one "ally" to play alongside him, but if other reports which suggest several more PGA Tour players are set to follow, then the current Masters champion may be allowed further choice.
GolfWRX's Matt Vincenzi posted on X (formerly Twitter) that Finau will be joining LIV Golf "imminently" before later clarifying he believed confirmation to be a week or two away.
Tony Finau will be joining LIV Golf imminently. Sources have told me that Tyrrell Hatton is also in negotiations as we speak.December 9, 2023
These stories arrived just days after Finau remained tight-lipped over any talk of LIV at the Grant Thornton Invitational, where he is playing with American juggernaut Nelly Korda in the mixed team event.
"I have nothing to say right now. I haven’t heard anything," Finau said when asked about the rumours.
When pressed further if he had any further response, the American said: “No, not yet. I haven’t let anything marinate other than just playing right now.”
Speaking to Sports Illustrated about Rahm's departure, the six-time PGA Tour winner added: “Yeah, I think he made the best decision that he felt was right for his family and himself. I'm happy for him."
Talk about Finau and others potentially moving from the PGA Tour to LIV Golf League comes days before the two tours' respective leaders - Jay Monahan and Yasir Al-Rumayyan - are set to meet for crunch discussions about a potential merger.
The PGA Tour commissioner and PIF boss Al-Rumayyan shook hands on that bombshell deal back in June, but nothing has progressed beyond that framework agreement ahead of the deal's deadline on December 31. With that date fast approaching, the upcoming meeting must produce some kind of breakthrough if that date is not to be extended.
But speaking recently, Monahan suggested he was confident some kind of deal would be completed with the PIF and a third party.
Monahan said: “When this gets finalized, the PGA Tour is going to be in a position that the athletes are owners in their sport, and you've got not only the PIF, but you've likely got another co-investor, with significant experience in business, in sport and brand that's going to help take the PGA Tour to another level and help us take share from other sports and even be more competitive."
