Jon Rahm has joined LIV in what is known to be a deal price as much as £450m; Butch Harmon: “I think the more you see some of these players defect to the LIV tournament, it’s going to make it easier for everyone to get back together again”
Final Up to date: 08/12/23 8:29pm
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Butch Harmon believes Jon Rahm’s departure would possibly improve the urgency of the PGA Tour to kind a merger with LIV Golf
Butch Harmon believes Jon Rahm’s departure would possibly improve the urgency of the PGA Tour to kind a merger with LIV Golf
Butch Harmon has labelled Jon Rahm’s multi-million-pound transfer to LIV Golf as “a major coup”, however one which will truly be the catalyst for concord within the sport.
After weeks of hypothesis, Rahm confirmed on Thursday that he had signed for LIV Golf in a deal understood to be price as much as £450m.
Harmon believes Rahm’s transfer and the harm performed to the PGA Tour would possibly hasten a consensus with LIV, leading to one of the best golfers again enjoying in a single discipline.
“I think the more you see some of these players defect to the LIV tournament, it’s going to make it easier for everyone to get back together again,” Harmon stated. “This may be the start of making that happen.
“I believe they are going to should push to get the PGA Tour along with LIV, and the DP World Tour, get them to speak and take a look at to determine a manner for them to all reside fortunately collectively.
“You may see LIV continuing to live the way they are, or you might see someone from the European tour and the American tour to be able to go back and forth and play one of each.
“They’ve stated all alongside that can by no means occur however what occurred [with Rahm] goes to carry this nearer to fruition and get all of them to the identical occasions on the similar time. And that is all we wish as followers.”
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Rich Beem gave his reaction to Jon Rahm’s dramatic move from the PGA Tour to LIV Golf
Former PGA Championship winner, and Sky Sports golf expert, Rich Beem had earlier labelled Rahm’s move as “massively damaging for the PGA Tour”, adding: “It tells me there’s something happening behind the scenes.”
Quizzed on that possibility, Harmon said: “I completely assume that.
“The PGA Tour has had problems financially. I think that’s one of the reasons they had to get away from the litigation they were having with the Saudi-backed tour.
“They had been shedding some huge cash that manner, and so they needed to improve their prize cash.”
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After Jon Rahm’s move to LIV Golf was confirmed, we take a look back at some of his remarks about the rival tour over the past year
He added: “It is a nice coup for LIV, getting, in my view, one of the best participant on this planet, a marquee identify in every single place on this planet.
“And, from what I understand from friends of mine that I know on the tour, there are others that are now seriously thinking about going over there.”
Spence slams Rahm’s greed
Jamie Spence, on the Sky Sports activities Golf Podcast:
“You are confronted with a guy who has probably got £100m in his account and the rest and now he is taking more as he has to look after his family. That is the biggest load of b******t I hear. It is just greed, that’s the shocking part. It is a rich man getting richer.
“I’m not a fan of solely excited about your self in life, there’s a greater image. Overlook everybody else, Jon, who has labored actually onerous behind the scenes to advertise you, put these tournaments on for you and get you the place you need to go…
“It is an aggressive move from LIV. How are you going to form a tour where Rahm can come and play in PGA Tour events, DP World Tour events, and he is earning all this money?
“Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and the opposite guys will not play for nothing. I do not understand how that’s all going to come back collectively. How do you strike a deal that’s truthful?
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Former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley says there was a ‘seismic shift’ in golf following Jon Rahm’s resolution to hitch LIV Golf
“My reading is that something has gone awry with the talks. Why would LIV sign Rahm if they are going to come to an agreement with the PGA Tour?
“Golf is being ravaged as a result of [PIF] are usually not coming in with agreements and doing it in a great way. They’re knocking the door down, shopping for what they will and inflicting disruption.
“I think Rahm has signed because the PGA Tour is all about Tiger Woods and McIlroy and that has started to p**s him off.”
