Profitable final 12 months’s Masters, and the assured spots in a number of majors that got here with it, was a decisive consider Jon Rahm‘s resolution to change to LIV Golf, in keeping 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 possibilities 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 supplied was arduous 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 direction of perhaps fascinated with it,” Rahm instructed Golf.com’s Breakthrough. “Being exempt from majors, figuring out that almost definitely you possibly can play the Masters for all times and the U.S. Open no less than till 2031, , I am set with two of these, proper, so it was an enormous figuring out issue.”
Rahm reportedly acquired 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 awesome way of life, the sums being supplied finally had been too tempting.
“Once I mentioned that, I absolutely 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 strive to not be a materialistic particular person, however I do owe it to my household as effectively to set them up for fulfillment the most effective 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 resolution to play LIV Golf would possibly even assist the 2 events come collectively for the great of the game.
“I actually hope that issues can come collectively,” he mentioned. “I am simply hoping that we get to a degree the place it is coherent and there may be 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 no less than tipping the scales just a little bit for the world of golf to come back collectively as a result of I do see a state of affairs the place we will find yourself with an awesome 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 with the ability to play his favourite tournaments on the PGA Tour.
“I am hoping that within the close to future I could be again taking part in a few of these occasions,” Rahm instructed 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 will play, even when it is as an invitation, I’ll take it. There’s sure occasions which can be particular to me that I’d nonetheless like to help.”
Reuters contributed to this report.
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