It's official, Jon Rahm is a new player for LIV Golf. The Spaniard, at 29 years of age, becomes the great and long-awaited signing of the Saudi tour that, with the presence of the golfer from Barrika in its ranks, puts all the pressure on the PGA Tour to reach the agreement that both parties should have signed before December 31.

Practically since the beginning of LIV Golf, the rumor of the possible incorporation of the winner of the 2023 Masters has been periodically spreading. However, the Spaniard has always made his stance of loyalty to the PGA Tour very clear. "This is my official response, the only time I'll talk about this, where I'm officially declaring my allegiance to the PGA Tour," he said in 2022, addressing early rumors.

His closeness and bond with Phil Mickelson, LIV Golf's first signing and initial driving force, continued to fuel doubts. Both players are represented by the same company (Steve Loy), but the Spaniard's entourage has always denied a possible escape by Rahm.

Even the Basque went further during the 2022 US Open, with a categorical exposition that ruled out any attempt to move on with the multimillion-dollar Saudi circuit. "Three days for me is not a golf tournament, and without a cut. It's that simple. I want to play against the best in the world in a format that has been around for hundreds of years." The Spaniard went further: "Yes, money is great, but when Kelley and I saw what was going on and started talking about it, we thought, 'Would it change our lifestyle if I made $400 million?' No, it won't change anything." "I could retire right now with what I've done and live a very happy life and never play golf again. Actually, I've never played for financial reasons. I do it for the love of this sport and I want it to be against the best in the world. I've always been interested in history and legacy, and right now the PGA Tour owns all of that. There's meaning when you win certain tournaments and that matters a lot to me," he reiterated.

Well, it seems that Jon will end up playing 54 holes and in Bermuda shorts, at least this year and waiting for the more than ever-awaited agreement between the PIF (Public Investment Foundation of Saudi Arabia) and the PGA Tour to be closed that will somehow allow a minimum link of Rahmbo with the big events of the American Tour. Rahm's future contest in the Ryder Cup also depends on this possible agreement, since in order to participate in the biennial competition Rahm would have to maintain his status as a member of the DP World Tour, something that in the current circumstances of confrontation between LIV and the European Tour, seemed unfeasible.

Although the Spaniard will now play a circuit that does not count towards the world ranking, with respect to his presence in majors, Rahm can rest easy for at least the next four years. With the green jacket won last April, Jon is assured of a lifetime presence at Augusta National and the current world number 3 would have room to play all the majors for at least the next four years.

Jon Rahm's change of heart has weighed heavily on the dizzying economic offer of Saudi Arabia's LIV. The Spaniard will become the highest-paid golfer in LIV, with an approximate amount of more than $550 million (according to The Telegraph) as a signing fee (the link is until 2029), above other players who left the PGA Tour, Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson. In August 2022, there was talk that the new league funded by the Saudi Arabian government offered between $700 million and $800 million to Tiger Woods to try to add him to its project. Rahm will join other Spaniards such as Sergio García, Eugenio Chacarra and David Puig who made the leap to the Super League promoted by the Saudi sheikhs.

  • Jon Rahm