Massive cash transfer by the 29-year-old Masters champion to Saudi-backed LIV Golf sends one other shockwave by way of the game.
Masters champion Jon Rahm has bolted for Saudi-funded LIV Golf for what’s believed to be extra money than the PGA Tour’s complete prize fund, a shocking blow that deepens the divide in golf as the 2 sides had been negotiating a industrial deal.
Rahm confirmed the transfer on Thursday in an interview with Fox Information. Sporting a black letterman’s jacket with the LIV emblem, he mentioned it was not a simple choice.
“I’ve been very happy,” Rahm mentioned. “But there is a lot of things that LIV Golf has to offer that were very enticing.”
He mentioned he would maintain non-public how a lot the deal was price amid reviews that put his compensation within the $500m vary, which possible would come with fairness in his new staff. The PGA Tour’s whole purse in 2023 was about $460m.
The event comes 25 days earlier than the deadline for the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Funding Fund attempt to finalise their June 6 agreement to grow to be industrial companions in a for-profit enterprise, together with the European tour.
Talks have been going slowly, and Tiger Woods mentioned final week there have been numerous transferring elements. The most important transferring half turned out to be the 29-year-old Rahm, the quantity three participant on the planet and a two-time main champion approaching his prime, being the most recent to defect.
Rahm had been adamant that he has sufficient cash and that he cares solely about historical past and legacy. He just lately mentioned he “laughed” each time he noticed his identify linked to LIV.
“It was a great offer. The money is great, obviously it’s wonderful,” Rahm mentioned.
“But what I said before is true: I do not play golf for the money. I play golf for the love of the game and for the love of golf. But, as a husband, as a father and as a family man I have a duty to my family to give them the best opportunities and the most amount of resources possible and that is where that comes in.”
The Spaniard will make his LIV debut on the league’s season opening occasion from February 2-4 at LIV Golf Mayakoba in Mexico.
He stays eligible for the majors for the following 5 years – the Masters for all times, the US Open till 2031. Nonetheless to be decided is how the transfer impacts his eligibility for the Ryder Cup.
“It’s hard to sit here and criticise Jon because of what a great player he is,” Rory McIlroy mentioned in an interview with Sky Sports activities. “Jon is going to be in Bethpage in 2025 (for the Ryder Cup). Because of this decision, the European tour is going to have to rewrite the rules. There’s no question about that.”
Rahm’s addition provides LIV Golf seven of the final 14 winners on the majors.
PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan had been scheduled to fulfill this week with Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the top of the PIF. The assembly was delayed till subsequent week, but it surely was not clear if it was nonetheless on or how Rahm’s announcement impacts the negotiations.
Because the gorgeous industrial partnership was proposed on June 6, the tour has additionally entertained provides from non-public fairness teams. These embody Fenway Sports activities Group and Acorn Progress, which incorporates former AT&T Chairman Randall Stephenson. He resigned from the PGA Tour board out of protest with its take care of Saudi Arabia.
The settlement initially included language to finish the poaching of gamers, however that was eliminated when the Justice Division had antitrust issues.
Signing with LIV is counter to the whole lot Rahm has mentioned in regards to the league. He has declared his assist for the PGA Tour courting to February 2022, and as just lately as August he instructed a Spanish podcast that “I laugh when people rumour me with LIV Golf. I’ve never liked the format.”
He had mentioned 54 holes with no reduce and a shotgun begin “is not a golf tournament”.
“I want to play against the best in the world in a format that’s been going on for hundreds of years,” he mentioned on the US Open final 12 months. “That’s what I want to see.”
He sang a distinct tune within the Fox interview, saying whereas cash was an element, there have been different parts “that make it so exciting.”
“Once you get past that, the love of the game, wanting to grow it to a global market and be part of a team, be a captain and hopefully being a leader to teammates, it is something that is so, so special,” Rahm mentioned.
