Wasn’t it a few months ago when Jon Rahm calmly sat down to discuss the current state of affairs in the golf world? According to the star golfer, we are living in the “golden era.”  He had good reasons to back up his claims: big tours in Europe, the PGA Tour, a new LIV event, plus TGL! But Rory McIlroy shook his head at those claims and said a firm “no.” McIlroy doesn’t share the same optimism. According to McIlroy, it has everything to do with the great golf divide. His response to Rahm? “Very rose-tinted glasses if you ask me.” Ouch!

McIlroy’s idea is related to the divide in the golf world. He agrees that golf has amazing players. But since everyone’s playing everywhere, is it a good thing? “I would share his optimism if the game wasn’t as disjointed and as fractured as it was. Maybe we’ll get to that point sometime in the near future, and if we do, then I would say, I would share that optimism.” However, he is alone in this stance.

In a recent development though, Jon Rahm has found an ally in Wyndham Clark. Yes, the PGA Tour pro sided with a LIV golfer on this point. Clark admits that a few years ago, he would have had a different response. But now? “I’m at the point where I want whatever is best for golf. I feel like golf is in a great place. It’s being consumed a ton. People are loving golf more. Athletes are playing golf. We have shows about golf. We have LIV, we have TGL, we have so many different avenues for people to watch and enjoy golf.” Wyndham Clark is not wrong.

If we take a look at the latest TGL, then the technology-driven tour made its debut with more than one million people on ESPN! The number eclipsed the college basketball game that preceded it. It even surpassed 89,000 viewers who sat down to watch Jon Rahm clinch the LIV Golf Championship win a few months ago. Additionally, we are seeing a wave of new talent joining the greens. Ludvig Aberg, Luke Clanton, Gordon Sargent, and Jackson Koivun are four of the young PGA Tour talents.

Despite the big divide in the golf world between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour, there’s still a lot to look forward to. Adding to his previous comment, Clark said, “So that’s where I’m at. I just want what’s best for the professional game.” However, don’t jump on the trend just yet! Just because Wyndham Clark has agreed with a LIV player doesn’t mean he is interested in joining the Saudi-backed league. In fact, he has been quite critical of players who join LIV Golf!

Wyndham Clark maintains distance from LIV Golf despite supporting Jon Rahm’s vision

Last year, the Pebble Beach Pro-Am came to a halt in its final round because of bad weather. After scoring a record 12-under-par 60 on the course, Clark was declared the winner of the $20 million Signature event. Although it wasn’t his first PGA Tour win, the Saudi-backed league pinned its hopes on him. Discussing this, the golfer confirmed that he had held talks with LIV. “I definitely met with LIV and went through those discussions. I wanted to see what they could bring to the table.”

But why didn’t the golfer take the offer? Clark says he still has a lot to achieve on the Tour, including setting records and improving his world ranking. “My dream is to try to be one of the top players in the world, if not the top player. I grew up always imagining winning PGA Tour events. So ultimately, I chose my legacy over LIV, and that’s really what it came down to.” But what does the golfer think of those who left for the league?

In 2024, Clark expressed his support for the return of some players but not all. The primary distinction? “Pedigree.” He explained, “It depends on who it is. Guys who have had the career where they should be lifelong PGA Tour players deserve the right to come play the PGA Tour.” But what about those who are not household names? “Guys who maybe left and didn’t have that pedigree and career… those are the guys I struggle with because they made their decision.”

Regardless of where the golfers come from, we can at least be sure they all want the same thing for golf: growth. What do you think?