Reigning Masters champion Jon Rahm joined the LIV Tour on Wednesday in a deal that reportedly includes more money than the entire PGA Tour prize fund.
This is a big blow for the PGA, which is trying to conclude a commercial agreement with the Saudi investors of the rival circuit.
Rahm confirmed his change of direction during an interview with the Fox News network. Wearing a black jacket bearing the image of the LIV circuit, the Spaniard said he had just made a difficult decision.
“I was very happy, but the LIV circuit has a lot of very attractive things to offer,” Rahm said.
He said he would keep the value of the deal confidential, despite reports that his compensation was around US500 million.
The development comes 25 days before a deadline set by the PGA Tour and the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund to attempt to finalize a deal to become business partners in a for-profit company. The agreement surprised the golf world on June 6.
The talks are moving slowly and Tiger Woods said last week there were many moving pieces. The biggest move turned out to be Rahm, the third-best player in the world and a two-time major champion.
Rahm had insisted he had enough money and only cared about the history and legacy left to the sport. He recently expressed that he “laughs” every time he sees his name linked to the LIV circuit.
“It was an attractive offer. The money is very good, it’s wonderful, Rahm explained. What I said before is true: I don’t play golf for the money. I play golf for the love of the sport and for the love of golf. As a husband, father and family man, I have a duty to my family to provide them with the best opportunities and resources. That’s where it comes in.”
He remains eligible to participate in major tournaments for the next five years – for life in the case of the Masters Tournament and until 2031 for the United States Open. All that remains to be determined is whether his Ryder Cup eligibility is affected.
The addition of Rahm brings seven of the last 14 major tournament winners to the LIV Tour.