Jon Rahm departed from the PGA Tour in December 2023 in a deal estimated to be valued at approximately $600 million.
The golf season is in full swing. While the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am was abruptly concluded after 54 holes due to adverse weather conditions, the LIV Golf commenced their season with Jon Rahm leading his team to victory in their inaugural attempt. Despite his new venture, the Spanish golfer still holds sentimental attachment to his former tour.
The current third-ranked player in the world shocked the globe by agreeing to join LIV Golf on a colossal $600 million contract. This decision positioned Rahm as one of the prominent figures to join the Saudi-backed tour from the PGA Tour. However, he has recently revealed his emotional state after being absent from the WM Phoenix Open.
During the LIV Golf press conference preceding the LIV Golf Vegas event, Rahm disclosed that driving past Phoenix and realizing he was not participating in the tournament evoked strong emotions within him.
Could Rahm be experiencing homesickness? Only he can provide the answer. Nevertheless, the reigning Masters champion thoroughly enjoyed his debut at LIV Golf. In his first appearance, he finished with an impressive score of 10-under, securing the third position just behind [Name] and the eventual winner [Name].
Had he not departed from the tour, Rahm would have had the opportunity to defend his titles obtained at The Sentry, The American Express Championship, and the upcoming Genesis Invitational. These victories were instrumental in his triumph at the Augusta National last year.
Despite being a member of LIV Golf, Jon Rahm’s fondness for PGA Tour events has not waned. The 29-year-old golfer expressed his desire to return and participate in some PGA Tour tournaments.
During the press conference, Rahm stated:
🚨🥺⛳️ #NEW: Speaking to reporters from LIV Vegas, Jon Rahm says he was ‘emotional’ to be missing the Waste Management and hopes to be competing in PGA TOUR events again soon. He added that sitting at home during The AMEX and Farmers was “hard.””Driving by Phoenix as often as I… pic.twitter.com/uDVoZs5FY5
Whether or not Rahm’s aspiration will be fulfilled remains uncertain. One significant obstacle is his suspension from the PGA Tour following his transition to LIV Golf. His European Ryder Cup teammate [Name] has voiced support for Rahm and advocated for LIV Golfers to be allowed to rejoin the Tour without facing any repercussions.
Nevertheless, discussions regarding a potential merger between the golf tours are still ongoing. If a final agreement is reached between the PGA Tour and PIF, it could open the door for LIV Golfers to once again participate in PGA Tour events in the near future.