“I am not surprised by anything at the minute”: Shane Lowry shares his views about Jon Rahm’s $566,000,000 move to LIV Golf

Shane Lowry wasn't at all surprised by Jon Rahm's move to LIV Golf. After months of speculation, the golfer eventually signed a $566 million deal to join the rebel tour.

Lowry, who has golfed with and against Rahm, admitted that he felt it was a done deal once the rumor mill started churning (via Bunkered):

“There’s no smoke without fire, so we all thought he must be going."

Some people may have been surprised to see Rahm defect, but not Lowry, who said:

“(I wasn’t) surprised, as I am not surprised by anything at the minute. It is what it is now. It’s just mad to think we won’t be playing against Jon Rahm until the Masters.

Lowry lamented the fact that Rahm wouldn't be present at Riviera, Bay Hill, The Players and all the 'big tournaments' on the PGA Tour. He continued, mentioning the overall state of the sport with the divide between the two leagues and the upcoming merger:

“It’s just mad to think that. It is what it is. I am just hopeful it all irons itself out soon, and we will be back playing together again soon. I don’t know when that will be but hopefully soon.”

Shane Lowry also conceded that golfers have to worry about themselves nowadays and that they need to be 'selfish'. There's a ton of uncertainty surrounding the sport, so golfers must take opportunities when they get them.

A $566 million contract to play a sport doesn't come around very often, nor does it come around to many players, so Lowry is a bit understanding of why Rahm made the decision to join LIV.

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Shane Lowry praises Viktor Hovland

Shane Lowry praised Viktor Hovland's decision

Viktor Hovland was also the subject of LIV Golf rumors, but the Ryder Cup star declined to leave. In fact, he effectively shut down any speculation regarding his departure.

In his case, there was no fire even if some smoke circulated. Hovland said (via Golf Monthly):

“You actually have to think about what alternatives are out there. What is best for me? Maybe I can be a part of making a change in professional golf? It pushes things that way."

He cited the format as a big reason:

“I’m not such a fan of, for example, playing without a cut. You need 150 players and a cut. If you don't play well enough, you're out. There is something about it that makes your game a little sharper.

"If I had gone to LIV, I don't think I would have become a better golfer. And then it is, in a way, end of discussion."

Nevertheless, he ignored the lire of LIV and its seemingly endless money pool. For that, Shane Lowry gave him a ton of credit. Lowry said about his Ryder Cup teammate (via Bunkered):

“Look at Viktor Hovland. He’d been rumoured heavily, and if Jon Rahm gets that, what does he get?

"So the fact that he’s committed to PGA Tour, I think is great. Because there was rumours about him. So I think he still realises that the best tournaments in the world are on the PGA Tour.”

For some, the money is too good to resist, but others have turned LIV down and remain a key cog in the PGA Tour. Viktor Hovland is the latter, and Shane Lowry loves that.