Jon Rahm has added his voice to the calls for a merger between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to go ahead, with the Spaniard eager to be able to move freely between the two rival circuits in the future
Jon Rahm has spoken out about the proposed merger between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf (
Image: Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
Jon Rahm has thrown his support behind a merger between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, emphasising that free movement of players is his main concern for the sport’s future.
This comes after Rory McIlroy suggested that about half of the players on both tours are against a merger. However, Rahm, who made a headline-grabbing £450million switch to LIV last year, is keen to make a swift return to PGA Tour events.
Talks have been ongoing for over a year between PGA Tour chiefs and the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, which backs LIV, but there hasn’t been much headway. The potential deal would likely allow players to transition between tours more freely, and Rahm is hopeful that an agreement will be reached soon, allowing him to tailor his playing schedule to his liking.
“Just one that allows us to play freely between tours and enjoy the game of golf,” Rahm stated before teeing off at the Spanish Open on Thursday. “For example, in my case, play Torrey and American Express in January, and then continue to enjoy the fact of being a DP World Tour member and play some events in the fall as well without any problems.”
Rahm continued: “With the gossip and rumors that have been circulating over the last few weeks, it seems there has been a big step forward made. I’m optimistic. I really am.”
As Rahm prepares to play in the Spanish Open on Thursday, he’s ticking off another box towards his required DP World Tour appearances, crucial for his Ryder Cup eligibility next year. Meanwhile, at the recent BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, Rory McIlroy revealed the split opinions among players regarding a potential truce between the tours.
Rory McIlroy recently claimed some players on both sides of the split don’t want a merger ( Getty Images)
McIlroy explained the division, stating: “I’d say maybe half the players on LIV want the deal to get done, half probably don’t,” and added, “I’d say it’s probably similar on the PGA Tour because it’s just like anything, everyone’s looking out for themselves and their best interests and it would benefit some people for a deal not to get done. But it would obviously benefit some people for a deal to get done.
So yeah, I think there’s different opinions amongst the players as to what should happen. And I think when you have a members-run organization, it complicates things a little bit, especially when some of those players are having to make decisions on the business side of things.”
