Jon Rahm was one of a number of big names who left the PGA Tour to join LIV Golf, but late last week it was reported that the Spaniard may well now be regretting his move
Hank Haney worked with Tiger Woods (
Image: Getty)
Tiger Woods’ former coach Hank Haney has claimed a whole host of players regret not joining LIV Golf, after it was reported Jon Rahm wanted to make a return to the PGA Tour.
Ahead of this week’s LIV Greenbrier event, a Golf Digest report claimed that Rahm – who joined LIV for a reported £450 million in December 2023 – would happily return his millions in order to play PGA Tour golf again. “I am 100 percent positive that if Jon could give the money back to the Saudis and come back to the tour, he couldn’t write the check fast enough,” an anonymous source said.
The claim has since been refuted by LIV’s CEO Greg Norman, who hit back at the report after labelling it ‘laughable’. “I read an article yesterday about how Jon is so unhappy here [LIV Golf] and that he wants to give back his money,” he said.
“It’s just not true. You speak to Jon’s general manager, it’s like laughable. I just truly don’t get it. I truly don’t get the divide.” Norman went on: “The division is still there when we are actually showing how we do work within the ecosystem and how the ecosystem is accepting us and how the people are speaking out there.
“I just don’t understand why it is this way. It tells you there is some deep seeded something there. But we are going to keep ploughing through it and stay true to ourselves.” In the wake of Norman’s comments, a former ally of PGA Tour stalwart Woods has had his say.
Haney – who worked alongside the 15-time major champion between 2004 and 2010 – believes it is not Rahm who regrets his decision, but those who opted to turn down the Saudi riches. He tweeted: “Pro golf is in such a state of flux that the only regret some players have is not having taken the offers from LIV when they had the chance. Classic case of you snooze you lose.”
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Jon Rahm joined LIV Golf in 2023 ( Getty Images)
It was hoped by many that Rahm’s decision to defect would play a major role in helping speed up the ongoing negotiations between the PGA Tour and Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, who are attempting to form a peace deal. Talk began last summer, after the two sides announced a shock framework agreement.
Over one year on though no official deal is yet to be signed off, with those competing on the breakaway circuit still banned from the PGA Tour. Speaking earlier this year, Rahm admitted that the proposed deal between the two rivals helped him make his decision to join LIV.
“What opened the door a little bit was that PGA Tour and LIV agreement,” Rahm said Per Golf.com. “So when that happened, I was like, well, we are definitely coming together. There is something happening, so at least I owe it to myself to hear what they have to offer and what their vision is.
“I figured I owed it to myself to hear them out, which is what I did when the season was over.” Having won in the UK last month, and finishing runner-up at Greenbrier on Sunday, the Spaniard now leads the league’s individual standings with one regular season event left to play.
