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How Rahm's Peers Reacted To His Move To LIV
Seismic seems to be the common thread in describing Jon Rahm's switch to LIV Golf with the news that the Spaniard will be playing his golf on Greg Norman's breakaway circuit in 2024 rather than the PGA Tour. For a few weeks Rahm has kept schtum as rumours have percolated about his move and, where previously the Masters champ has quickly shut them down, this time around there has been radio silence.
This is how the golfing world has reacted to one of the biggest pieces of news that the game has ever witnessed...
Jason Day
"I think if there was ever a person to go across, it would probably be him. Just because he's got at least the next five years of Majors, he's got Augusta for the rest of his life, and then his US Open but he's in the Majors for the next five years. If there was someone who was a good candidate, it'd probably be him. I understand that some guys do it for the money - and the majority of the time, it is for the money - which I have no problem with. It's just a little bit unfortunate that we're going to lose one. It would have been nice to get past this deadline and see where things fell before he could make a decision, but I can't fault him for making that decision for himself and for his family as well."
Justin Rose
"This is a huge part of the jigsaw puzzle that you’ve seen Jon go. And then I don’t know who else goes with Jon. I mean, obviously if it’s just Jon, that’s bad enough. What does that mean now to the trickle if it’s Jon plus a trickle? Jon’s a legacy-focused player. He really represents Spain, he understands who he’s following there in terms of Seve (Ballesteros) and Jose Maria (Olazabal). So I don’t think he was careless about this decision. We’re all trying to evaluate PGA Tour versus LIV in the sense of the fan base and the economics around both tours, but he’s the delta. He moves the delta. He weakens one side and strengthens the other. So it’s a big move."
Rickie Fowler
"Ultimately, down the road, division isn't a good thing. I'm hopeful things will continue to work in the right direction for the greater of the game. But what that is, I don't know. I wish I could tell you. We're kind of all on this ride together and kind of figuring out and learning as we go."
Eddie Pepperell
"Nobody is a bigger Jon Rahm fan than me. I think he’s the best talent since Rory, and I believe he is smart, considered and thoughtful. Ultimately, as a fan of traditional golf, I’m gutted he’s gone to LIV. That being said, I certainly won’t follow his progress on LIV. This is as much a plea as anything else to the powers that be to now look at a full consolidation, bring it all (PGAT/DPWT) together and create something different. We need open minds and top US based players (especially) to embrace this opportunity."
Paul McGinley
"It's a massive blow. It's a huge blow. This is a seismic shift in terms of power within the game of golf towards the Saudi league and away from the tours. Away from the DP World Tour as well as the PGA Tour. LIV will be very giddy and chomping at the bit that they've smashed up what we have known to be professional golf in the last 40 or 50 years."
Rich Beem
"I had to laugh when Rahm spoke about what LIV had to offer. Well, they are offering almost half a billion pounds. That's a pretty good offer. I think you would be silly not to take the money. I dare anybody, with the exception of two or three guys in the world golf-wise, to turn that sort of money down. It is just astronomical. It is generational wealth, money that very few people in this world have access to. Jon is now one of them. It is massively damaging for the PGA Tour. It tells me there is something going on behind the scenes with the PGA Tour where he said, 'I am going to sign with LIV, get my guaranteed money, know I will have a job for the next three years and see what happens after that'."
Bryson DeChambeau
"Amazing to have @JonRahmpga join LIV. So happy for him and his family. Excited to compete with you once again my man and continue to play with the best players in the world."
This is how the golfing world has reacted to one of the biggest pieces of news that the game has ever witnessed...
Jason Day
"I think if there was ever a person to go across, it would probably be him. Just because he's got at least the next five years of Majors, he's got Augusta for the rest of his life, and then his US Open but he's in the Majors for the next five years. If there was someone who was a good candidate, it'd probably be him. I understand that some guys do it for the money - and the majority of the time, it is for the money - which I have no problem with. It's just a little bit unfortunate that we're going to lose one. It would have been nice to get past this deadline and see where things fell before he could make a decision, but I can't fault him for making that decision for himself and for his family as well."
Justin Rose
"This is a huge part of the jigsaw puzzle that you’ve seen Jon go. And then I don’t know who else goes with Jon. I mean, obviously if it’s just Jon, that’s bad enough. What does that mean now to the trickle if it’s Jon plus a trickle? Jon’s a legacy-focused player. He really represents Spain, he understands who he’s following there in terms of Seve (Ballesteros) and Jose Maria (Olazabal). So I don’t think he was careless about this decision. We’re all trying to evaluate PGA Tour versus LIV in the sense of the fan base and the economics around both tours, but he’s the delta. He moves the delta. He weakens one side and strengthens the other. So it’s a big move."
Rickie Fowler
"Ultimately, down the road, division isn't a good thing. I'm hopeful things will continue to work in the right direction for the greater of the game. But what that is, I don't know. I wish I could tell you. We're kind of all on this ride together and kind of figuring out and learning as we go."
Eddie Pepperell
"Nobody is a bigger Jon Rahm fan than me. I think he’s the best talent since Rory, and I believe he is smart, considered and thoughtful. Ultimately, as a fan of traditional golf, I’m gutted he’s gone to LIV. That being said, I certainly won’t follow his progress on LIV. This is as much a plea as anything else to the powers that be to now look at a full consolidation, bring it all (PGAT/DPWT) together and create something different. We need open minds and top US based players (especially) to embrace this opportunity."
Paul McGinley
"It's a massive blow. It's a huge blow. This is a seismic shift in terms of power within the game of golf towards the Saudi league and away from the tours. Away from the DP World Tour as well as the PGA Tour. LIV will be very giddy and chomping at the bit that they've smashed up what we have known to be professional golf in the last 40 or 50 years."
Rich Beem
"I had to laugh when Rahm spoke about what LIV had to offer. Well, they are offering almost half a billion pounds. That's a pretty good offer. I think you would be silly not to take the money. I dare anybody, with the exception of two or three guys in the world golf-wise, to turn that sort of money down. It is just astronomical. It is generational wealth, money that very few people in this world have access to. Jon is now one of them. It is massively damaging for the PGA Tour. It tells me there is something going on behind the scenes with the PGA Tour where he said, 'I am going to sign with LIV, get my guaranteed money, know I will have a job for the next three years and see what happens after that'."
Bryson DeChambeau
"Amazing to have @JonRahmpga join LIV. So happy for him and his family. Excited to compete with you once again my man and continue to play with the best players in the world."
