LIV Golf secured their top acquisition of the offseason with Jon Rahm, who chose to leave the PGA Tour for greater financial gain in the lucrative breakaway series despite being a Ryder Cup star.
According to Jon Rahm, Tiger Woods was less receptive than Rory McIlroy towards his decision to leave the PGA Tour for LIV Golf.In December, the PGA Tour and LIV Golf grew further apart when Rahm left to join the breakaway tour supported by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
This move was significant as it marked another high-profile player defecting from their original circuit in favor of the new one, which has emerged as a competitor to the PGA Tour with much hype surrounding its launch. As a two-time Major champion, his agreement with them for an alleged sum between £300 – 450 million represented a major achievement for this young venture.
The merger between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour, startling news announced in June, hastened Rahm’s decision to switch. PIF encountered resolute resistance upon its initial forays into sports on account of its human rights violations; therefore, the unexpected combination left players feeling disenchanted.
After taking inspiration from Rahm, McIlroy – who previously held a firm stance against LIV – has altered his view on including golfers from the circuit in the Ryder Cup. Instead, he advocates for DP World Tour to revise their eligibility regulations. Though initially opposed to permitting LIV players to represent Europe in the biennial competition versus America at Bethpage Black in New York in 2025, McIlroy now confesses that he desires seeing Rahm participate.
Nonetheless, it appears that Woods has been less receptive towards Rahm’s ruling. As the 48-year-old is essentially the emblematic figure of the PGA Tour and steadfastly upholds its values when feasible, this could be why he had not communicated with Rahm after his declaration.
Rahm revealed to ESPN that Rory had shown both public and private support for his decision, but admitted to not having received a response from Woods. Despite texting him and other individuals during the signing process, Rahm stated that he held no grudges against anyone involved in his personal choice.
Rahm emerged victorious four times on the PGA Tour, with his second major career win being at the legendary Augusta National where he became a Masters champion. While admitting to not conversing with PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan since departing for LIV, Rahm desires cooperation between both competitive tours enabling him to participate in events whilst representing either entity.
Sergio Garcia’s investment of £700,000 in LIV Golf is doomed to fail due to a promise that only meets the bare minimum expectations.Rahm clarified that he would continue to support the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, if given permission. He expressed his determination to not give up and mentioned certain events he’d love to participate in, provided they fit into his schedule. There’s no doubt that he would eagerly join them then.
During his interview, Rahm disclosed that the sizable remuneration offered by LIV Golf played a substantial role in swaying his choice. It appears that the PGA is taking measures to tackle this matter as well. Recently, they greenlit an investment deal worth £2.4 billion with Strategic Sports Group for a fresh commercial fund.
SSG has pledged to provide a prompt infusion of £1.2bn and there is the possibility for that funding to double in due course. The arrangement with SSG holds great significance as nearly 200 PGA Tour affiliates will have the chance to acquire ownership in PGA Tour Enterprises, serving as an incentive for their loyalty and rejection of LIV Golf.