Profitable final 12 months’s Masters was a decisive think about John Rahm’s determination to change to LIV Golf, based on the big-hitting Spaniard whose transfer shocked the golf world.
Rahm introduced in December he was becoming a member of the Saudi Arabia-backed breakaway LIV Golf in December and made his debut on the occasion in Mexico final weekend. The 29-year-old had initially performed down his probabilities of switching to LIV Golf, saying the large monetary incentives up for grabs didn’t actually curiosity him.
However he now concedes that the cash being supplied was laborious to show down whereas the truth that he’s assured to have the ability to play within the Masters helped make up his thoughts. “Profitable the Masters was an enormous step in direction of possibly interested by it,” Rahm informed Golf.com’s Breakthrough.
“Being exempt from majors, realizing that almost certainly you may play the Masters for all times and the U.S. Open till 2031, , I’m set with two of these proper so it was it was a giant figuring out issue.”
Rahm’s take care of LIV Golf is price a reported 450 million kilos ($568.40 million) and whereas he says he meant what he mentioned in 2022 that he was already rich sufficient to get pleasure from a fantastic life-style, the sums being supplied ultimately had been too tempting.
“Once I mentioned that I absolutely meant it and it was true. Now, once they slap you with a big amount of cash in your face, your emotions do change,” Rahm mentioned.
“I attempt to not be a materialistic individual, however I do owe it to my household as properly to set them up for fulfillment one of the best I can, and having youngsters I believe modified that fairly a bit. So, the cash is part of it; I’m not going to lie.”
Talks over a possible merger between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour have been ongoing since a framework settlement in June, though a December 31 date to rubber-stamp the deal was missed.
Rahm mentioned he hopes his determination to play LIV Golf may even assist the 2 events come collectively for the nice of the game.
“I really hope that issues can come collectively,” he mentioned. “I’m simply hoping that we get to a degree the place it’s coherent and there may be coexistence and there’s a path for folks to get pleasure from the identical perks that you’ve got the excursions.
“I hope that me coming is at the very least tipping the scales slightly bit for the world of golf to come back collectively as a result of I do see a state of affairs the place we will find yourself with a fantastic product for the crowds and to have golf as a greater leisure enterprise than it was earlier than.”
Rahm performs within the second LIV Golf occasion on the Las Vegas Nation Membership this week however concedes it’s a wrench not having the ability to play his favorite tournaments on the PGA Tour.
“I’m hoping that within the close to future I may be again enjoying a few of these occasions,” he mentioned. “If there’s ever a means again and a means the place we will play, even when it’s as an invitation, I’ll take it. There’s sure occasions which are particular to me that I might nonetheless like to assist.”