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The rumors regarding Jon Rahm leaving the PGA Tour to join the LIV Golf Series have reached a boiling point. It is almost certain that he will be making the switch to the breakaway series in the coming days. However, it was not the same just a few months ago.
There was a time when Jon Rahm detested the LIV Golf format. Speaking at a post-round interview at the US Open which was held between June 15-18, 2023, Jon Rahm spoke about the unsuitability of the LIV Golf format for him.
In a video posted by NUCLR Golf, a golf account on Twitter, Rahm was seen saying:
"Shot gun 3 days to me is not a golf tournament, no cut. I wanna play against the best in the world in a format that’s been going on for 100s of years. Would my lifestyle change if I got $400 million? Not one bit. Truth be told, I could retire right now with what I have made and I could live a very happy life and not play golf again."
Since then, however, his opinions seem to have changed, and as reported by ESPN, Rahm has accepted a deal of over $550 million to join LIV Golf.
Jon Rahm reported to leave PGA Tour for $550 million LIV Golf deal
The first signs of Rahm's departure came when he decided to back out of the TGL League hosted by Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods. Soon after going silent about the situation, the rumors regarding his defection started growing. Finally, when he was not named in the final field for the 2024 Amex Championship despite being the defending champion, it all seemed to be slotting into place.
Phil Mickelson too had said that Jon Rahm was "as good as gone." Now, as reported by ESPN, Rahm has signed a lucrative deal of around $550 million. It will last for more than three years, and will also give Rahm his very own LIV Golf team.
Rahm's switch comes at a time when the world of golf is in a rather grey area. Needless to say, with the new PGA Tour and Saudi Arabian PIF framework agreement deadline drawing close, tension is at an all-time high as the world waits and watches for what will happen next.
