Jon Rahm enjoyed quite the season on the PGA Tour after winning four times, including the Masters, but the Spanish star could be set to make a shock move to LIV Golf
Jon Rahm has been named by the PGA Tour as one of the nominees for the circuit’s ‘Player of The Year’ award, despite the Spaniard’s recent LIV Golf rumours.
Rahm was among the many exceptional players of 2023; his highlight came from winning his second major championship in April at the Masters. In addition, the Spaniard won three more PGA Tour events: the Genesis Invitational, the American Express, and the Sentry Tournament of Champions.
With more victories than any other player on the American-based tour this year, the winner of the green jacket is a deserving nominee for Player of the Year and may even be the favorite.
In addition to Rahm, nominees include Rory McIlroy, Viktor Hovland, Scottie Scheffler, and Wyndham Clark. With Rahm reportedly joining their LIV rivals in 2024, Jay Monahan and company may have an awkward prize presentation if the Masters champion prevails.
The Spaniard has reportedly been linked to a move to the breakaway league in recent weeks. Rahm is reportedly in line for an alleged £476 million signing bonus, of which half would be paid up front. The mega-money allure of the Saudi-backed league has caused the PGA Tour to lose a number of well-known players.
A number of players have switched, including Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cam Smith. Rahm may follow suit, according to rumors. Throughout the ugly conflict between the two rival tours, the Spaniard has maintained a fairly neutral stance.
Even so, given Rahm’s prior remarks, switching to the LIV setup would be unexpected. The two-time major champion downplayed his chances of joining Greg Norman and company in December of last year, acknowledging that the large sums of money available to players were not a motivating factor for him personally.
“You will eventually be able to support yourself and make money if you play well. It’s not the reason I play, nor is it the reason I started playing. Therefore, money is not really on my mind when I’m practicing, making my schedule, and finishing my tasks.
“If it was, I might have visited LIV, don’t you think? That’s definitely the way to go if making money is your main objective. My goal in life is to improve as a golfer, and that guides every decision I make. As recently as August, Rahm disclosed that even though he was close friends with two LIV supporters, Phil Mickelson and Sergio, he would “laugh” when people connected him to the breakaway league.
“I laugh when people rumor me with LIV Golf,” he said in an interview with the Golf Sin Etiquetas podcast. The format has never appealed to me. 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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