Jon Rahm joined LIV Golf for reasons beyond just the financial incentive, citing family security, the opportunity to play in major tournaments due to his Masters win, and the changing dynamics in golf, despite acknowledging the significant impact of the offered money and expressing hope for future changes that allow LIV Golf players to compete in majors.
At Glance
‣ Jon Rahm highlighted “reasons beyond money” for his switch to LIV Golf, despite acknowledging the significant financial incentive as a factor in his decision.
‣ Rahm emphasized the importance of securing his family’s future and the role of his children in influencing his decision to join LIV Golf, where he became a team captain for the new 13th team, Legion XIII.
‣ Winning The Masters and being exempt in major tournaments for life or the foreseeable future was a significant factor in Rahm’s decision to move to LIV Golf, ensuring his participation in major championships despite the switch.
‣ Rahm also mentioned the proposed merger between the PGA and DP World Tours with the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund as a reason for his move, expressing hope that it could help bring the golfing world back together.
“When they slap you with a large amount of money in your face, your feelings do change.”
Jon Rahm goes deep on LIV, and life, and the Masters, in this episode of Breakthrough with @dylan_dethier. Full interview:
— GOLF.com (@GOLF_com)
Jon Rahm spilled the beans, and it wasn’t just about the cash. Sure, the dough was eye-popping. We’re talking a cool switch in December to the tune of over $500m. That’s a lot of zeroes, folks. He jumped ship from the PGA Tour to the 54-hole league, LIV Golf. Became the head honcho of Legion XIII, their shiny new 13th team. And yeah, it was a big deal. One of LIV’s most glittering catches to date.
In a heart-to-heart on Golf.com’s ‘Breakthrough,’ Rahm got real. Said he had to think about his family’s future. But also, snagging The Masters was a sweet cherry on top. That win alone meant he could waltz into any Major for the next five years, no questions asked.
“I would say there was two instances,” he shared with Dylan Dethier on Golf.com. The vibe was shifting, divisions were cropping up. And Rahm? He felt the pull for reasons that weren’t just about the greenbacks. “When they slap you with a large amount of money in your face, your feelings do change,” he admitted. It’s hard not to, right?
Now, let’s not forget, Rahm was sitting pretty at world number 2 when he made the leap. But rankings? They’re slipping without those precious world ranking points on the Saudi-backed tour. Not that Rahm’s sweating it. His 2021 US Open win and Masters victory have him set for the big leagues till 2031 and beyond.
Winning The Masters? It got him thinking, maybe this LIV thing wasn’t such a bad idea. “Knowing that I’m most likely can play the Masters for life and the US Open until 2031, I’m set for two of those. It was a big determining factor,” he confessed in that 47-minute chinwag.
Oh, and the buzz about the PGA and DP World Tours cozying up with the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund? That got Rahm’s gears turning too. He figured, why not see what they had to say?
This week, Rahm’s teeing off for his second LIV Golf gig in Las Vegas, fresh off his team’s victory in Mexico. “Incredible,” he called it, tipping his hat to Joaquin Niemann’s solo win. But with Niemann missing out on three of the four Majors this year, Rahm’s got mixed feelings. “Do I believe he deserves to be in Majors? Yes. Does he have the talent to contend and possibly win Majors? Yes,” he said, hoping for a future where LIV players get their shot at the big time.
Ending on a note of hope and a dash of realism, Rahm mused on the future of golf. The absence of players like Niemann from Majors? It’s a blow to the competition level, no doubt about it. But change? It’s on the horizon, Rahm believes. And with that, the golf world watches, waits, and wonders what’s next.
