“It is not an easy decision,” Jon Rahm signing with LIV Golf delivers ULTIMATE blow to PGA Tour, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy reacts to his departure

Jon Rahm talks about the real motivating factor in signing with LIV Golf despite supporting the PGA Tour all throughout last year’s chaos.

“It is not an easy decision,” Jon Rahm signing with LIV Golf delivers ULTIMATE blow to PGA Tour, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy reacts to his departure

Tigetr Woods, Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy [Image Credit: Imago]

After weeks of debate and speculation, World No.3 golfer Jon Rahm has officially made his exit from the PGA Tour. Despite supporting the Tour since LIV Golf’s inception back in 2022, Rahm has stated that money was indeed “one of the reasons” behind his switch.

The LIV contract which is rumored to be around $600 million is by far the highest paid in the Saudi-backed Tour’s history. Rahm appeared on Fox News donning a black and white letterman jacket with ‘LIV Golf’ scribed across his right shoulder.

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His switch shook the whole golf world, potentially threatening the PGA Tour the most. Since LIV Golf’s dawn, many potential players have made their switch but none of them had dealt a deathly blow yet, until Rahm’s move. His decision for the switch was enticed with money, position, and power in LIV Golf, and ultimately financial security for his family.

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It is not an easy decision because I’ve had a really successful career, and I’ve been very happy. But there’s a lot of things that were very, very enticing, starting with team golf…the money was great…as a husband, as a father and as a family man, I have a duty to my family…
Jon Rahm on Fox News.

The question that now remains unanswered is – How will Jon Rahm’s switch to LIV Golf affect the PGA Tour framework? Minutes prior to his announcement Tiger Woods shared a post on X, which can now be jotted down as his reply to the current messed-up situation.

Woods’ message read The Players Directors are “united and all working together” to deal with the PGA Tour situation, and their “entire player membership”. Whatever their decision will be, it’ll be in the safe interests of the betterment of the Tour.

Jon Rahm thanked Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, and Patrick Cantlay in parting message to LIV Golf

Following his exit from the PGA Tour, Rahm wished his friendship with those on the other side would not be broken, especially pointing to Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, and Patrick Cantlay. He clearly stated that his decision “wasn’t anything personal with them”, but it was simply “a choice for me and my family and the better of our future.”

Rahm thanked Woods, McIlroy, and Cantlay for supporting him and just being there both as friends and challengers throughout his PGA years. He wished them all the best in resolving the current Tour status ahead of December 31, the deadline for the PGA and LIV to settle the “framework agreement”.

Jon Rahm [Image Credit: Imago]
Jon Rahm [Image Credit: Imago]

Out of the top five golfers in the world – Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, and Cam Smith; LIV Golf has now three of them. Till now, pro golfer Justin Rose has accurately quoted Jon Rahm’s situation and the butterfly effects that will create havoc in the golf world:

This is a huge part of the jigsaw puzzle that you’ve seen Jon go…he’s the delta. He weakens one side and strengthens the other. So it’s a big move…a huge coup for LIV [and a ] huge blow for PGA Tour.

Rory McIlroy, one of the main PGA Tour defenders stated that Jon Rahm’s move to LIV will make the sport of golf less relevant and in danger of “cannibalism”, as per Sky Sports. He states that there are definitely people who live LIV Golf, but most fans love the PGA Tour. 

But he fears if the Saudi-backed league continues to sign one after another player in the upcoming days, it’ll become a huge part in the decline of the sport. The game will be divided and more focus will be on the different entities rather than the sport itself.

It’s a fact that Jon Rahm’s exit has punched a huge hole in the PGA Tour, but how it’ll affect the game will be known in the coming months and years. Fans are shocked by his move, while some state that they knew which direction the wind was blowing. Further update on the move and details of the contract is expected to be revealed in a short time.

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