Profitable final 12 months’s Masters, and the assured spots in a number of majors that got here with it, was a decisive think about Jon Rahm‘s choice to change to LIV Golf, in line with the big-hitting Spanish participant whose transfer surprised the golf world.
Rahm, 29, introduced in December that he was becoming a member of the Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf League. He made his debut in Mexico final weekend, ending in a tie for third.
Rahm had initially performed down his probabilities of switching to LIV Golf, saying the large monetary incentives up for grabs didn’t actually curiosity him.
However he now concedes that the cash being provided was exhausting to show down and the truth that he’s assured to have the ability to play within the Masters helped make up his thoughts.
“Profitable the Masters was an enormous step in the direction of perhaps interested by it,” Rahm told Golf.com’s Breakthrough. “Being exempt from majors, realizing that probably you may play the Masters for all times and the U.S. Open a minimum of till 2031, you recognize, I am set with two of these, proper, so it was a giant figuring out issue.”
Rahm reportedly obtained greater than $300 million to affix LIV Golf, and whereas he says he meant what he mentioned in 2022 that he was already rich sufficient to get pleasure from an amazing way of life, the sums being provided ultimately had been too tempting.
“Once I mentioned that, I totally meant it and it was true. Now, once they slap you with a big amount of cash in your face, your emotions do change,” Rahm mentioned. “I attempt to not be a materialistic individual, however I do owe it to my household as nicely to set them up for achievement the very best I can, and having youngsters I believe modified that fairly a bit. So the cash is part of it, I am not going to lie.”
Talks over a possible merger between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour have been ongoing since a framework settlement was reached in June, though an preliminary Dec. 31 deadline to rubber-stamp the deal was missed.
Rahm mentioned he hopes his choice to play LIV Golf would possibly even assist the 2 events come collectively for the great of the game.
“I really hope that issues can come collectively,” he mentioned. “I am simply hoping that we get to some extent the place it is coherent and there’s coexistence and there is a path for individuals to get pleasure from the identical perks that you’ve the excursions.
“I hope that me coming is a minimum of tipping the scales a little bit bit for the world of golf to return collectively as a result of I do see a state of affairs the place we are able to find yourself with an amazing product for the crowds and to have golf as a greater leisure enterprise than it was earlier than.”
Rahm will play in his second LIV Golf occasion on the Las Vegas Nation Membership this week. However conceded it’s disappointing not having the ability to play his favourite tournaments on the PGA Tour.
“I am hoping that within the close to future I will be again taking part in a few of these occasions,” Rahm told reporters Tuesday. “I will surely love to return and play a few of them.
“If there’s ever a means again and a means the place we are able to play, even when it is as an invitation, I’ll take it. There’s sure occasions which might be particular to me that I’d nonetheless like to assist.”
Reuters contributed to this report.
