Jon Rahm becomes the seventh past winner of the Masters tournament to accept an offer from LIV
In a huge boost to LIV Golf , 29-year-old World No 3 and reigning Masters champion, Jon Rahm of Spain, announced his move to the rival LIV Golf League on Dec. 7 in a deal rumoured to be worth around US$500 million.
The LIV Golf League, funded by the Saudi Public Investment Fund ( PIF), completed its 2nd season of 14 events in 2023 carrying US$25 million purses with 54 holes in four member team and individual formats. LIV has disrupted the status of professional golf as Rahm joins stars like Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Patrick Reed, Cameron Smith and others. India’s Anirban Lahiri who plays on Bryson’s team has done remarkably well and speculation is that he has earned in excess of US$10 million ( Rs 85 crores) at LIV Golf in the past two years.
Back in June, the Saudi PIF and the PGA Tour had set a deadline of December 31st to work out a cooperation agreement and the strategic signing of yet another superstar in the prime of his career, Jon Rahm, by LIV is perceived as a calculated manoeuvre aimed at leveraging his influence to compel the PGA Tour into better terms from the acquiescing and aligning with the PIF’s proposed deal.
However, dissenting voices argue that the deal may not materialize, branding LIV’s move to secure the World No. 3 as an act of desperation in the face of uncertainty.
The past two years have witnessed upheavals in the professional golfing realm, and only time will reveal whether 2024 will usher in a new era or if animosity will persist between the two factions.
Rahm made his announcement, while accepting fans’ obvious backlash, “This decision was for many reasons what I thought was best for me,” Rahm said. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great deal. I had a really good offer in front of me, and it’s one of the reasons why I took it, right? They really put me in a position where I had to think about it and I did.”
Rahm said he knows he will be criticised by some golf fans for his sudden about-face. He said at least one of his sponsors, Callaway, said it would continue its relationship with him.
“Every decision I feel like we make in life, there [will]be somebody who agrees and likes it and somebody who doesn’t,” Rahm said. “I’ve made this decision because I believe it is the best for me and my family, and everybody I’ve been able to talk to has been really supportive of me. So I’m very comfortable with my decision.
“I’m no stranger to hearing some negative things on social media or [in the]media, so it’s part of what it is. We’re public figures, but just learn to deal with it, right? It certainly won’t define who I am or change who I am, so I think with experience you just learn to deal with negativity a little bit better.”
I am proud to join @livgolf_league and be part of something new that is bringing growth to the sport. I have no doubt that this is a great opportunity for me and my family and am very excited for the future. pic.twitter.com/myf4isJgJ3
— Jon Rahm Rodriguez (@JonRahmOfficial) December 7, 2023
Change in tone
Upon the announcement of the initial roster of players for LIV Golf in 2022, numerous apparel and equipment brands swiftly withdrew their sponsorships from those who had signed with the rival league. Some faced explicit warnings from the PGA Tour, pressuring them to sever ties with these players.
However, in a notable departure from this trend, Callaway has affirmed its commitment to Jon Rahm, the Masters champion, revealing intentions to persist as his sponsor and fueling speculation that the brand may even assume a minor stakeholder role in the team Rahm opts to assemble in 2024.
Photo – LIV Golf