Jon Rahm has furiously hit back at reports suggesting he regretted ditching the PGA Tour for the Saudi Arabia-funded LIV Golf league .
The former Masters and U.S. Open champion Rahm was among the most surprising defectors for the upstart Saudi league this offseason and has largely struggled to replicate his world No. 1 form from 2023. And reports had suggested that the Spaniard would have gladly given his money back to the Saudi Public Investment Fund if it meant he could return to the PGA Tour.
“There’s zero validity to what any of that said," Rahm said to the New York Post . "I don’t know where it came from. I don’t know why they feel the need to say that some of us are unhappy when we’re not. It’s one of the things that frustrates me a little bit, the fact that they can claim that there’s a source and there’s zero truth to it.”
The rumor appeared to originate from an extensive profile of Rahm's LIV Golf defection in the Golf Digest+ magazine , which cited a "veteran tour insider" who claimed to be "100 percent confident" that the Spaniard would return to the PGA Tour in a heartbeat. Diaz's profile spotlights a perceived lack of interest in forging a lasting legacy in golf, notable for Rahm, who won over many fans while on the PGA Tour for his visible passion for the sport.
A proud native of the Basque region in Spain, Rahm arrived stateside in 2012 to join Arizona State, winning a remarkable 11 collegiate tournaments across his four years and becoming the first ever two-time Ben Hogan Award winner, celebrating the best NCAA golfer. Rahm entered the professional ranks after his senior season, debuting at the 2016 Quicken Loans National and winning his first PGA Tour event the following year in San Diego.
By 2023, Rahm was well on his forging a special legacy in golf, beating Brooks Koepka in Augusta by four strokes to secure his second major tournament victory before falling narrowly short at the British Open that same year. Lengthening his stay at world No. 1 to a dominant 52 weeks, Rahm also took a vocal stance as many of his PGA peers decided to join LIV Golf.
"I am officially declaring my fealty to the PGA Tour. I'm a PAC member, and I have a lot of belief in Jay Monahan and the product that they're going to give us in the future," Rahm said in 2023. "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."
Ultimately, Rahm's perspective was shifted by a bombshell announcement in June 2023, where PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan revealed a "framework" for a merger with LIV Golf. Expecting the two leagues to join shortly — an initial timeline of December 2023 was established — Rahm opted for a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia, explicitly noting the financial benefits and the allure of managing a team.
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