“Harsh I know but it’s how it is” - Padraig Harrington anticipates Jon Rahm's LIV Golf deal will increase player expectations and sponsor pricing

Padraig Harrington is one of the many golf stars to have spoken about the 'Jon Rahm case' in recent hours. The Irishman expressed concern about the financial repercussions that the event may have.

For Harrington, the allegedly astronomical figure for which Jon Rahm moved to LIV Golf, may result in players increasing their payout expectations. The concern, according to Harrington, is that those players will not have their aspirations met.

Padraig Harrington on his X (formerly Twitter) account:

"Most players will up their expectations of what they are worth but as we’ve seen with other big sponsors in the golf game, those sponsors know that they really only want to pay the top players (maybe 5 in any market) who move the needle and no one else really matters."

"Harsh I know but it’s how it is. Remember sponsors have to pay advertising $ to promote who they sponsor and those advertising $ cost the same to run for a top player as as lower ranked player," he added.

Expanding on his views on the subject of Jon Rahm, Padraig Harrington shared in the thread on X several examples from his own experience in professional golf. The triple Major champion tried to illustrate to the users that not all players are treated equally by sponsors.

What will happen to Jon Rahm's status on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour?

During his interview with FOX to discuss his move to LIV Golf, Jon Rahm stated that he had no intention of relinquishing his status on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour.

This is what Rahm said (via NUCLR GOLF):

"I can say that I do want to maintain my PGA Tour and DP World status. I will not give that up and hopefully with the freedom that LIV Golf gives me I can play in both of those tours as well."

"I’ve expressed how important the Spanish Open is to me in the past, and if we ever reached that point [to play in] certain PGA Tour events, I still want to go and play as long as my schedule allows. So if possible, we’ll see what we can make happen," he added.

In the case of the PGA Tour, the current rules do not allow it. The U.S.-based circuit established a rule in the summer of 2022 with the following text (via Sports Illustrated):

"The PGA Tour has determined that any player who has participated in an unauthorized tournament is ineligible to compete in any event sanctioned by the PGA Tour for a period of one year from the final round of competition of the unauthorized tournament in which he participated."

"Once any period of ineligibility has ended, a nonmember may participate in PGA Tour events and any qualifying events such as the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament," it read further.

The DP World Tour could be a door still open for Rahm, although not entirely. The European Tour imposed fines and suspensions for players who left for LIV Golf in 2022.

However, several of them have already returned to play DP World Tour tournaments during November 2023, thanks to the fact that they are not members of the circuit and qualified for certain exemptions from the tournaments in which they participated.

Rory McIlroy suggested on Thursday, December 7, that the European circuit change the rules for the integration of the team to the Ryder Cup, to facilitate Jon Rahm's inclusion. That may not be the only rule to be changed.