Jon Rahm: PGA Tour players feel ‘betrayal’ over ‘bombshell’ deal with Saudi Arabia’s PIF to unify golf
Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka both share their feelings after last week’s news of the new agreement between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and the PIF, who fund LIV Golf
Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka both share their feelings after last week’s news of the new agreement between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and the PIF, who fund LIV Golf
Masters champion Jon Rahm believes PGA Tour players feel a sense of ‘betrayal’ from management after last week’s ‘bombshell’ announcement from golf’s main tours.
Rahm was among the players left stunned by the new agreement between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), who bankroll LIV Golf, with three organizations coming together to make a proposal to try and “unify the sport we have a global basis”.
The world No 2 was surprised by the timing of the truce, the week before the US Open, with Rahm also admitting there are plenty of questions left unanswered by golf’s governing bodies and a number of players frustrated by the change in stance from the PGA Tour .
Jon Rahm has already won four times on the PGA Tour in 2023
“I think it gets to a point where you want to have faith in management, and I want to have faith that this is the best thing for all of us, but it’s clear that that’s not the consensus,” Rahm admitted in his pre- tournament press conference ahead of the US Open, live on Sky Sports.
“I think the general feeling is that a lot of people feel a bit of betrayal from management.
Speaking ahead of the US Open, Sergio Garcia claimed that if LIV Golf was to disband he would look to re-join the PGA Tour or the DP World Tour
“I understand why they had to keep it so secret. I understand we couldn’t make it through a PAC [Players’ Advisory Council] meeting for more than 10 minutes before people are spilling the beans right away in some article by you guys. I get it, I get the secrecy.
“It’s just not easy as a player that’s been involved, like many others, to wake up one day and see this bombshell. That’s why we’re all in a bit of a state of limbo because we don’t know what’s going on and how much is finalized and how much they can talk about.
Rory McIlroy says the headlines have misinterpreted the influence of LIV in the new structure and says the PGA can now control how PIF money is used
“It’s a state of uncertainty that we don’t love, but at the end of the day, I’m not a business expert. Some of those guys on the board and involved in this are, so I’d like to think they’re going to make a better decision than I would, but I don’t know. There’s still too many questions to be answered.”
Will LIV players be welcome back to PGA Tour?
The three tours said in last week’s joint statement that terms of the landmark agreement will be finalized “in the months to come”, with no details yet available about how players from the Saudi-backed LIV circuit will be integrated back into the PGA Tour and DP World Tour.
Rahm played a practice round with LIV golfer and compatriot Sergio Garcia on Monday at Los Angeles Country Club
“If things change, things change,” Rahm added. “I’ll have to adapt to the situation and will have to make some decisions on what’s going on forward, and I’ll make some decisions.
“At the end of the day I’m still very privileged, whether the PGA Tour and LIV Golf align or not or who plays and who likes who – it doesn’t really matter.
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“I don’t really care, to be fair. I don’t care at this point. Too much has gone on. I think like everybody, I just want some answers and basically know what the future looks like, and that’s about it.”
Rahm has previously called for LIV players to still be eligible to feature in the Ryder Cup, with Team Europe’s all-time record scorer Sergio Garcia among those currently set to miss out on featuring for Luke Donald’s side in Rome.
Jon Rahm believes Sergio Garcia should be allowed to play at the Ryder Cup and feels that politics are getting in the way of a great event
Garcia and his LIV players missed the May 1 deadline to reapply for DP World Tour membership for the 2023 season, a requirement to be eligible for Team Europe, with a memo sent to players from CEO Keith Pelley last week confirming that only “an exceptional circumstance ” would change that.
On whether last week’s announcement could change who plays for Europe, Rahm said: “Again, we have no clue. The only thing I can say at this point is I have faith in Luke Donald, and I have faith that Luke is going to do the best and he’s going to try to make the best decision for Team Europe.
“At the end of the day he’s the captain and I’m not. It’s his ship to steer. I have faith in my captain and I’m sure we’re going to end up with the best team we can end up with. “
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