Jon Rahm has publicly confirmed his departure from LIV Golf, the Saudi-backed circuit he joined in December 2023. Speaking ahead of this week’s Abu Dhabi Championship, the Spaniard said he was not convinced by the direction of LIV 2.0, which he felt was moving away from team golf and toward a more conventional tour format.
“There were too many unknowns,” Rahm said, adding that the changes made leaving an easy decision. He acknowledged that financial compensation was a major reason he joined LIV and said he had no regrets about the move, despite not completing his contract. He said he would now prefer peace of mind over additional payments.
Rahm had two years remaining on his LIV agreement. The report says he was due $7.5 million in performance-related payments and a further $100 million under the deal he signed in 2023. LIV’s future has been thrown into doubt after Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund stopped providing funding, prompting uncertainty over the circuit’s plans.
The 31-year-old’s next steps remain unsettled. He plans to compete on the DP World Tour and hopes to qualify for the next Ryder Cup, while also seeking a route back to the PGA Tour. He is currently subject to a one-year suspension imposed by the American circuit on players who joined LIV, beginning on August 23.
Rahm said he would accept a return arrangement like the one offered to Brooks Koepka last December, which included a financial penalty and restrictions on playing rights. He said he did not know whether such an offer would be available to him, but would agree to the same penalties if it were.
Rahm is due to play the Abu Dhabi Championship from Thursday, after missing the cut at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in September. He will then compete in the DP World Tour’s season-ending event in Dubai the following week.
Sources: El País Deportes.