Jon Rahm had previously laughed off his chances of ever making the move to LIV Golf, but the Masters champion has gone back on his word to join the Saudi-funded series
Jon Rahm has sensationally agreed a deal to sign with LIV Golf, with the breakaway circuit landing arguably their biggest signing since forming last summer.
Rahm had been linked with joining the LIV setup for weeks, and the deal is now apparently agreed between the Masters champion and the breakaway league. In the days building up to the Spaniard’s Saudi switch, multiple reports alleged Rahm was to become LIV’s highest paid player to date.
According to reports, the current Masters champion will receive an alluring £475 million ($600 million) package to sign with Greg Norman and company, with £237.5 million ($300 million) paid in advance.
Following in the footsteps of his close friends Sergio Garcia and Phil Mickelson, as well as Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cam Smith, Rahm becomes the most well-known player to relocate to Saudi Arabia. The acquisition of Rahm may be the most significant coup for the Breakaway League thus far, amidst a host of well-known players.
The 29-year-old, who has established himself as one of the best players in the world in recent years, will join the LIV roster as the current Masters champion. After a two-year battle for the top spot with Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler, Rahm is currently ranked third in the world.
The green jacket winner, who won four championships on the American circuit in 2023, including his Masters victory, was the most successful PGA Tour winner ever. In other events, Rahm had a fantastic start to the previous season, taking home three victories at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, American Express, and Genesis Invitational in the first two months of the year.
But because of his LIV Golf move, it looks the Spaniard won’t be able to defend his three titles come January. The PGA Tour has been stern in its penalties for members who join their LIV rivals; last summer, minutes after Micklson and company entered the Saudi-backed league’s inaugural event at Centurion, they were suspended.
Despite ongoing talks to resolve the conflict between the rival tours, the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF) and the PGA Tour, Rahm is expected to suffer the same fate. Even though Rahm stayed mostly neutral during the most recent civil war, many people will still be surprised by his decision.
The 29-year-old downplayed his chances of ever signing with LIV as recently as August, stating he would laugh every time his name was mentioned in relation to the circuit. “I laugh when people rumor me with LIV Golf,” he said in an interview with the Golf Sin Etiquetas podcast.
“I was never fond of the structure. And during major practice rounds, I always have a great time with Sergio Garcia and Phil Mickelson. Both Phil [Mickelson] and I honor our respective decisions. Mickelson has repeatedly told me that there is no reason for me to travel to play for LIV.
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