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Mark Schlabach, ESPN Senior Author
Jon Rahm sat in a room someplace in New York, making ready to speak to greater than a dozen reporters on a Zoom name at round 4:45 p.m. ET Thursday. There was a LIV Golf League backdrop behind him, because the Saudi Arabian-financed circuit was making ready to announce it had poached the No. 3-ranked golfer on the earth from the rival PGA Tour.
It was a scene that may have appeared unfathomable in April, when Rahm appeared absolutely dedicated to the PGA Tour after claiming his second main championship on the Masters.
For greater than a yr, Rahm had voiced his dislike of LIV Golf’s 54-hole tournaments, no cuts and shotgun begins, saying he most popular to stay with the PGA Tour, the place legends similar to Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Tiger Woods had performed earlier than him.
In the long run, Rahm, a 29-year-old native of Spain, could not move up a multiyear contract that’s value greater than $300 million, in response to sources, and consists of partial possession of his new LIV Golf staff. Sources informed ESPN that LIV Golf is recruiting different PGA Tour gamers to affix Rahm’s staff; he declined to call whom they may be.
“This choice was for a lot of causes what I assumed was finest for me,” Rahm stated. “Do not get me mistaken, it is an amazing deal. I had a extremely good provide in entrance of me, and it is one of many the reason why I took it, proper? They actually put me ready the place I had to consider it and I did.”
Rahm stated he is aware of he shall be criticized by some golf followers for his sudden about-face. He stated at the very least one among his sponsors, Callaway, stated it could proceed its relationship with him.
“Each choice I really feel like we make in life, there [will] be any individual who agrees and likes it and any individual who does not,” Rahm stated. “I’ve made this choice as a result of I imagine it’s the finest for me and my household, and everyone I have been in a position to discuss to has been actually supportive of me. So I am very comfy with my choice.
“I am no stranger to listening to some unfavorable issues on social media or [in the] media, so it is a part of what it’s. We’re public figures, however simply be taught to take care of it, proper? It definitely will not outline who I’m or change who I’m, so I believe with expertise you simply be taught to take care of negativity a bit bit higher.”
I’m proud to affix @livgolf_league and be a part of one thing new that’s bringing progress to the game. I’ve little question that it is a nice alternative for me and my household and am very excited for the longer term. pic.twitter.com/myf4isJgJ3
— Jon Rahm Rodriguez (@JonRahmpga) December 7, 2023
The PGA Tour launched a press release later Thursday saying its focus stays on the tour and “unifying the sport for our followers and gamers.”
“We will not communicate for choices that any particular person gamers would possibly make however based mostly on the momentum of the previous season and power of the PGA Tour, together with the accelerated curiosity from and negotiations with quite a few exterior buyers, we’re in place to make our gamers fairness homeowners and additional permit the tour to spend money on our members, spend money on our followers and proceed to guide males’s skilled golf ahead,” the tour stated in its assertion.
Rahm’s choice comes at a time when the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Funding Fund are trying to hammer out the ultimate particulars of a framework settlement that may mix their business pursuits into a brand new for-profit entity, PGA Tour Enterprises.
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of the PIF, are scheduled to satisfy subsequent week. The PIF has spent greater than $3 billion funding the LIV Golf League the previous two seasons. The framework settlement is ready to run out Dec. 31; Monahan referred to as the date a “agency deadline” final week.
The framework settlement offers Monahan authority to find out the way forward for LIV Golf, which has struggled to realize a foothold within the U.S. however has generated vital curiosity in Australia, Singapore, Spain and different international locations. Sources informed ESPN the way forward for LIV Golf and whether or not staff golf has a spot within the sport’s future ecosystem have emerged as sticking factors for the Saudis throughout negotiations.
It is unclear how Rahm’s defection will affect the proposed alliance. LIV Golf’s potential to poach a participant of Rahm’s caliber would appear to present the Saudis leverage in negotiations, because the PGA Tour can be entertaining gives from a handful of U.S.-based buyers.
“I imply, lots has occurred within the sport of golf and we have seen some steps in direction of the sport coming collectively, and hopefully we are able to maintain making these selections and people actions in direction of ending up in a greater spot, which is especially my objective as a golfer,” Rahm stated.
The June 6 framework settlement included a clause that prohibited either side from making an attempt to poach one another’s gamers, but it surely was eliminated after the U.S. Division of Justice’s Antitrust Division raised considerations that it restricted competitors.
Sources beforehand informed ESPN that the PGA Tour may type a partnership with each the PIF and a U.S.-based fairness agency due to considerations {that a} PIF-only deal wouldn’t be authorized by federal regulators within the U.S. and overseas.
A conglomerate led by Fenway Sports activities Group, which owns the Boston Red Sox and Pittsburgh Penguins, is among the many remaining potential bidders, sources informed ESPN. So is Liberty Media Corp., which has possession stakes in Formulation One, Sirius XM and the Atlanta Braves, and Acorn Progress Cos., an Oklahoma Metropolis-based fairness group that had beforehand targeted on the aerospace and protection industries.
Rahm stated his largest concern was not being allowed to play in future Ryder Cups. He has performed on the European staff in every of the previous three worldwide competitions and appears to have as a lot ardour for the occasion as his Spanish {golfing} idols, Seve Ballesteros and José María Olazábal.
Ryder Cup veterans similar to Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, Paul Casey and Lee Westwood had been ineligible for the European staff in Italy this yr as a result of that they had resigned their DP World Tour memberships. Sweden’s Henrik Stenson was stripped of his captaincy after making the soar to LIV Golf.
Rahm stated he did not plan to resign from both the PGA Tour or DP World Tour. Monahan has suspended PGA Tour members who competed in LIV Golf tournaments with no conflicting-event launch.
“My place with the Ryder Cup stands because it’s at all times been,” Rahm stated. “I really like the Ryder Cup. I’ve defined many occasions how significant it’s to me, and I certainly hope I may be in future editions of the Ryder Cup.
“That is lower than me proper now, but when it was as much as me, I will be eligible to play, so I certainly hope I can sustain the nice golf, maintain taking part in good golf and provides them a motive to have me on the staff. It is a huge threat to take, however I’ve had it in consideration and, once more, I am hopeful that I may be a part of the staff once more.”
Rahm is the second reigning main championship winner to go away the PGA Tour for the LIV Golf League on the peak of his profession. In August 2022, Australia’s Cameron Smith signed with LIV Golf about six weeks after he picked up his first main championship on the a hundred and fiftieth Open Championship at St. Andrews Hyperlinks in Scotland.
Rahm received 11 occasions on the PGA Tour and picked up greater than $51.5 million in on-course earnings throughout his profession. This previous season, he received 4 occasions and pocketed about $16.5 million in purses. He’s a finalist for PGA Tour Participant of the Yr.
In a press release, LIV Golf CEO and commissioner Greg Norman referred to as Rahm a “generational expertise.”
“There are only a few athletes together with his pedigree of expertise, management, poise, and dedication to bringing progress to the game on a worldwide stage,” Norman stated. “We could not be extra excited to welcome Jon to the LIV Golf household because the league continues preparations for an enormous 2024 and past.”
Reigning LIV Golf particular person champion Talor Gooch informed ESPN that including Rahm brings credibility to the upstart circuit.
“It makes all the naysayers assume a bit bit about all the doubts which have been made over the past couple of years,” Gooch stated. “It simply continues to combat the narrative that there is not nice gamers at LIV and all these guys are previous their prime and so forth and so forth. He is a man that’s in all probability simply hitting his prime and that is been in all probability the very best participant within the final 5 years.”
Rahm stated the path of the PGA Tour and its incapacity to finalize a take care of the PIF wasn’t a think about his choice.
“I am endlessly grateful for the PGA Tour and the platform they’ve allowed me to be on,” Rahm stated. “I imply, I’ve nothing dangerous to say about them. They’ve given me the chance to play the sport that I’ve at all times wished to play and compete in some nice occasions.
“That is simply extra about me and what I imagine is finest for my profession, and like I stated, my likelihood to possibly make a mark.”
Rahm stated he hopes golfers will in the future be capable of play on a number of excursions and never have to decide on sides.
“I certainly hope for the longer term we are able to maintain working in direction of making choices that make golf higher, proper?” Rahm stated. “That is my place. My place is to play golf. That is what I began to do, play golf to the very best of my skills and hopefully depart the sport in a greater place than I discovered it.”
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