Jon Rahm to LIV Golf: Why World No. 3 golfer is leaving PGA Tour for Saudi-backed league

LIV Golf has poached its fair share of elite-level golfers. Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Smith were all highly ranked golfers in the world when the Saudi Arabian golf league signed them away from the PGA tour in 2022. 

Jon Rahm is officially the next big-name pro to make the move. 

The world No. 3 ranked and defending Masters champion became the latest high-profile name to switch to LIV Golf. The league had been on the hunt after the Spaniard for years, but Rahm and the tour finally came to an agreement on a deal. 

Rahm is a massive loss for the PGA Tour. A former world No. 1, he is a two-time major champion and a Ryder Cup winner, consistently finding himself atop the FedEx Cup rankings the last couple of seasons. It's no coincidence that the rumors increased as PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and the governor of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment fund, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, are set to meet later in December to discuss the future of the sport. 

The Spaniard had been an outspoken advocate against LIV Golf in the past, but as golf fans have seen before, a pro can say one thing and then do the exact opposite.

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The Sporting News has the latest information and updates on Rahm's departure to LIV Golf. 

Is Jon Rahm leaving PGA Tour for LIV Golf?

It's official — Rahm is leaving the PGA Tour for LIV Golf. 

The defending Masters champion confirmed the rumors during an appearance on Fox News on Thursday night, making the announcement that he has joined LIV Golf. 

Jon Rahm: “after all the rumors, some of them were true, I have officially joined LIV Golf.” pic.twitter.com/PwRJTmpBAq

— Tour Pro 🏌️‍♂️ (@OfficialTourPro) December 7, 2023

"As you can see now, it's official," Rahm said. "This is me finally saying after all the rumors, some of them were true, and I have officially joined LIV Golf."

Why did Jon Rahm sign with LIV?

Rahm had spoken out against LIV Golf previously, but he isn't the first player to back the PGA Tour just to ultimately make the switch. The pro held a press conference on Thursday to discuss his change of heart and more. 

"The past two years there's been a lot of evolving in the game of golf and things have changed a lot and so have I," Rahm said. "Seeing the growth and evolution and the innovation is something that’s captured my attention and that’s why we’re here today.

"Like I said earlier, the growth that I’ve seen and how it’s become a global business and can impact golf globally in a meaningful way is very enticing. For all those things I like about this movement, there are always going to be things that are not perfect. That’s something I can live with. It’s an ever-growing and ever-changing machine. I hope the leaders of LIV Golf might listen to my advice and see some changes in the future that are better for the future of the game."

Rahm cited that he is "comfortable" with the decision, even with the potential backlash he may receive from fans and other PGA Tour members. 

"I believe it’s the best for me and my family," Rahm said. "I’m very comfortable with my decision. Just learn to deal with it. It won't define who I am or change who I am. With experience you learn to deal with negativity better."

The Spaniard initially gave a fairly blunt answer before the 2022 Genesis Invitational on his thoughts about LIV. 

"This is my official, my one and only time I’ll talk about this, where I am officially declaring my fealty to the PGA Tour," Rahm said. "I’m a PAC (Player Advisory Council) member, and I have a lot of belief in Jay Monahan and the product that they’re going to give us in the future."

"There has been a lot of talk and speculation about the Saudi league. It’s just not something I believe is the best for me and my future in golf, and I think the best legacy I can accomplish will be with the PGA Tour."

He followed up with similar comments this past August on Golf Sin Etiquetas, a Spanish golf podcast. 

"I laugh when people rumor me with LIV Golf," Rahm said. "I’ve never liked the format. ... Phil (Mickelson) respects my decision, and I respect his. Mickelson has told me that I have no reason to go play for LIV, and he has told me that multiple times."

With Rahm officially leaving the tour, the PGA knows that his absence will certainly be felt on the tour. 

"We really hope that he’s continuing with us," Jordan Spieth said previously. "I know there’s been some guys that have talked to him. I know he’s maybe weighing some decisions, maybe not. I really don’t know, so I don’t want to insult him and say he’s weighing decisions if he already knows he’s not or he is. You know, that’s somewhat out of my control in a way."

Jon Rahm to LIV Golf rumors

Rahm to LIV Golf had been a rampant rumor for a few months now. It came to a boil around the 2023 Ryder Cup in late September, which is when the reported £450 million contract offer was first leaked, and has picked up this week leading up to the Desert Classic, officially known as the American Express. 

The golfer and his camp remained quiet on the matter until the official announcement, but sometimes actions speak louder than words. Eyebrows were raised earlier this fall when Rahm pulled out of TGL, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy's team simulation golf tournament. 

Then, Rahm pulled out of the American Express this week. It's a tournament that not only he has frequented in his career, but also is the defending champion from 2022. 

Jon Rahm projected LIV Golf contract

Again, while nothing has been made official yet, there has been one consistent number floated around in the Rahm-to-LIV Golf rumors — £450 million, or roughly the equivalent of $565 million in U.S. dollars. 

That is the reported worth of Rahm's expected contract to sign with the Saudi-backed golf league. 

"I’m not allowed to speak on that right now," Rahm said when asked about the agreement. "There are certain things that are not gonna be public. This decision was for many reasons what I thought was best for me. Don’t get me wrong. It’s a great deal. I had a really great offer in front of me and that’s why I took it. They put me in a position where I had to think about it and I did."

On Thursday, The Wall Street Journal reported that he would be signing a multi-year contract that is "among the richest that LIV has offered to date."

WSJ reported the signing of Rahm is intended by the LIV to "pressure the Tour to conclude a deal" for the merger between the two sides. They have until Dec. 31 to join together, but there is still not a deal in place. The Wall Street Journal reported Rahm can be viewed as an insurance policy for LIV that would keep the rival golf league in contention with the PGA.

Jon Rahm career earnings

According to Spotrac, Rahm's estimated career earnings is about $77.2 million. That consists of $51.5 million made at official tournaments, $1.62 million at unofficial tournaments and $9 million from the player index program. 

In 2023 alone, it is estimated that Rahm earned roughly $21.3 million. He earned $3.24 million for winning the 2023 Masters. 

Here is a breakdown of his career earnings by year: