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Jon Rahm isn't one to dive into the petty squabbles of the PGA Tour-LIV Golf debate. Though he remains a PGA star and appears to have no intentions of defecting, he's adamant that it doesn't matter.
When asked about Sergio Garcia and the Ryder Cup, which Garcia may not be able to participate in due to his membership, Rahm bluntlysaid:
"It's a little sad to me that politics have gotten in the way of such a beautiful event. Who is playing LIV and who is not playing LIV to me shouldn't matter."
The world number two golfer believes that the best players for a team should be on the team regardless of their membership. As it stands, LIV players are not barred from the competition, but they have to be selected by the captain.
The first six spots on the team are for those qualifying, which does not include LIV players. The remaining six are captain's choice, so European captain Luke Donald can choose Sergio Garcia if he so chooses.
It appears that Jon Rahm would certainly like him to.
Jon Rahm has always supported Sergio Garcia
Jon Rahm has always been a supporter of Garcia, even when he made the controversial choice to leave the PGA Tour. According to Golf Monthly, Rahm said back in November about Garcia's legacy:
"I hope not. It's very unprecedented, right, what we've been dealing with in the game of golf. It hasn't even been that long, what, six months. And there's certainly going to be a before and after at some point, and there's definitely some division going on."
He noted that Garcia's fans won't care, but the game of golf at large shouldn't, either:
"But I think to the core fans who have been fans of Sergio, I don't think they care, really, where he plays. Some of them might, but most of them I don't really think they care. It still shouldn't change what he's done in the game, what he's done in the Ryder Cup, European Tour, PGA Tour, shouldn't be affected by where he decides to play golf, at least in my mind."
He continued:
"It could have somewhat of an impact. I have a hard time believing a lot of those players are going to have a positive impact with their legacy right now. We don't know what's going to happen, but if it does, I hope it's not a big one, let's say it that way. He's done a lot for the game of golf, so it would be sad to see that change."
Rahm also sympathized with Garcia and others who fled for LIV Golf and stated:
“I don't blame him. If I’d told my dad when I was in college, 'Hey, I have an opportunity to play for $10m - guaranteed’ but then said I was going to say ‘no’, I'd probably get smacked in the face. Especially if I said, 'Let's play a mini tour in Latin America instead and see how that works out’."
Jon Rahm is doing well enough on the PGA Tour that he doesn't have to consider it, but he understands it's a consideration for others.
