Despite His Healthy Relationship With Phil Mickelson, Jon Rahm Follows the Path of Rory McIlroy While LIV Golf Rumors Take Center Stage

Last year, Jon Rahm was one of the big-name players to turn down an offer from LIV Golf and stay with the PGA Tour. Per reports, the Spaniard had rebuffed a $400 million deal from the Saudi-funded league, which managed to attract the likes of Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau, and more.

But, while PGA Tour compatriots like Justin Thomas and Rory McIlroy have often aimed jibes at the LIV league, Rahm has mostly been on the fence on the subject. Recently, however, the World No. 3 made his feelings clear about the breakaway golfing circuit, proving his ultimate fealty to the PGA Tour.

Jon Rahm downplays LIV Golf despite his camaraderie with LIV defectors

During the PGA Championship in May, Jon Rahm stressed that he remained friends with several players in the LIV league, despite their much-debated defection last year. “[I] tried to play practice rounds with Phil [Mickelson], played with Talor Gooch yesterday,” the 2-time major winner had confessed ahead of his appearance at Oak Hill.

Later that month, Rahm also lamented the fact that he wouldn’t be able to play alongside LIV’s Sergio Garcia at the Ryder Cup, saying, “It’s a little sad to me that politics have gotten in the way of such a beautiful event.” His feelings were in stark contrast to that of Rory McIlroy, who stressed that LIV players shouldn’t get the chance to represent the European side.

Despite their many opposing views, Rahm and McIlroy agree on one thing — both players are against playing in LIV tournaments. “I laugh when people rumor me with @livgolf_league,” the 2023 Masters winner said during his appearance in the Golf Sin Etiquetas podcast.

“I’ve never liked the format. And I always have a good time with Phil and Sergio in the practice rounds of majors,” he further added. The format of LIV events, which feature 54 holes and no cuts, has been a point of contention for many. In comparison, the majority of PGA Tour events feature 72 holes, and a cut takes place after 2 rounds. Additionally, LIV events also feature limited fields of just 48 players!

Also Read: ‘I’ll Try to Channel My Inner Seve’: Jon Rahm Makes a Powerful Promise After Rory McIlroy’s Ryder Cup Message

Rahm’s comments about the league come just days after World No. 2 McIlroy reiterated his dislike for Greg Norman’s golf league in the face of the PGAT-LIV merger.

Rory McIlroy puts LIV Golf on blast as PGA Tour-LIV merger continues to take shape

Back in June, the golf world was delivered a big surprise in the form of a union between the PGA Tour and the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), which bankrolls LIV Golf. Another huge blow came when last month’s Senate hearings on the merger revealed email conversations centered around giving Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods ownership of a LIV Golf team.

Despite the recent developments, however, McIlroy doesn’t want anything to do with LIV Golf. “If LIV Golf was the last place to play golf on earth, I would retire,” he said to Golf  Channel‘s Rex Hoggard during the recently-concluded Scottish Open. “That’s how I feel about it. Seriously.”

As the agreement between the two golfing factions becomes more tangible by the day, it will be interesting to see how the PGAT loyalists, as well as the defectors, react to the changes.

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Do you agree with Jon Rahm’s comments? What do you think is in store for PGAT loyalists in light of the controversial new merger? Tell us in the comments!