Two-time major champion Jon Rahm, one of the biggest stars on the PGA Tour and arguably the best golfer in the world, has become the league’s latest — and most significant — defection to LIV Golf. The former world No. 1 announced Thursday that he will join the likes of Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Cameron Smith, Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson as the most significant names starring on the 54-hole team circuit created by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund to rival the PGA Tour.
“I have officially joined LIV Golf,” Rahm announced Thursday night on Fox News. “It’s not an easy decision because I’ve had a really successful career and I’ve been really happy. But there’s a lot of things that LIV Golf has to offer that were very, very enticing, starting with team golf. Being part of a team is something that’s been really big for me throughout my career. I was part of the Spanish national team from the age of 14 until I graduated college. I was part of the Arizona State golf team. As a pro, you don’t have that chance very often. … It’s something that is very fun to play for something more than just yourself.
“And simply, the growth that LIV Golf has brought to the game of golf. It’s something fresh. It’s something new. It’s something with a ton of potential and opportunity. It’s something I’m really excited about.”
Rahm, 29, had been tangentially linked to LIV Golf since its inception, but conversations between the parties appeared to get renewed around Thanksgiving. The deal reportedly exceeds three years and $300 million, according to ESPN. Rahm, during his Fox News interview, refused to comment on the specifics of his deal but admitted the financial component was a significant factor.
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