Jon Rahm shocks PGA Tour with £450m deal with LIV Golf
Jon Rahm previously played down a possible move to LIV Golf, but the Masters champion has pulled out of the Saudi-sponsored series.
Jon Rahm’s move to LIV Golf has been confirmed.
Jon Rahm signed a sensational deal with LIV Golf last summer in what could be the club’s biggest deal since its inception.
Rahm has been linked with a move to LIV for several weeks, and now it appears a deal has been agreed between the Masters champion and the top brass. Days before the Spaniard’s move to Saudi Arabia, Rahm claimed he would become LIV’s highest-paid player to date.
The reigning Masters champion is set to receive a £475m ($600m) package to sign alongside Greg Norman, with an upfront payment of £237.5m ($300m USD). Rahm becomes the latest celebrity to move to the Saudis, following in the footsteps of his good friends Sergio Garcia and Phil Mickelson, as well as Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau and Cam Smith.
Among several star names, Rahm’s signing could be the biggest coup for a top star yet. The 29-year-old joins LIV as a Masters champion, having established himself as one of the best players in the world in recent years. Rahm is currently ranked third in the world and has been competing for the top spot with Rory McIlroy and Scotty Scheffler for the past two years. In 2023, the green jacket winner became the PGA Tour’s most successful winner, winning four US titles, including the Masters crown.
Elsewhere, Rahm got off to a strong start last season, winning three times in the first two months of the year at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, American Express and Genesis Invitational. Jon Rahm is the newest addition to LIV.
Starting in the new year, the Spaniard’s chances of defending his Triple Crown seem slim because of LIV Golf. The PGA Tour has been vigilant in punishing members who have joined LIV rivals, including suspending Mickelson and company minutes after attending the league’s first Saudi-backed event in Centurion last summer.
Rahm’s fate is expected to remain the same despite ongoing negotiations between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) to end the dispute between the rival tours. Although he has been relatively neutral in the recent civil wars, Lam’s moves still come as a surprise to many.
Last August, the 29-year-old dismissed the possibility of signing with LIV, admitting he would laugh if his name was attached to the chain. He said this on the Golf Sin Etiquetas podcast: “I laugh when people talk to me about LIV Golf. “I never liked this format.
I always have fun with Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia during practice rounds at the majors. Phil Mickelson respects my decision and I respect his [choice]. Mickelson has told me several times that he has no reason to play at LIV.
