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What Are the 3 Major Takeaways From Jon Rahm’s Grand Entry Into the World of LIV Golf

Published 12/08/2023, 5:30 AM EST

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USA Today via Reuters

Earlier today, Jon Rahm confirmed the wild rumors that have been afloat about him for weeks. In an exclusive interview with Fox, Rahm announced the groundbreaking news of his joining the Saudi League. He declared, “As you can see now, it’s official. This is me finally saying after all the rumors, some of them were true, and I am officially joining LIV Golf.”

Although the 2-time major winner’s defection leaves him to deal with the consequences of leaving behind the PGA Tour and the DPWT, it also gives the golf world clarity on many of the rumors and questions that had risen over the past few weeks. And below are the top takeaways that are now crystal clear about the Spaniard’s future!

What changes are coming the way of Jon Rahm?

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According to Rahm, joining the rival team was not at all an easy decision to make. He claimed that he had to take into consideration all the factors that prompted this decision and whether they were worth it. Eventually, however, LIV’s better reach and growth swayed him, and now that he’s defected, his future is more certain. Here are three things that are now clear with his move:

Jon Rahm does not want to leave the PGA Tour behind

Despite now having switched sides, however, the Spanish player is hoping to “maintain” his status as a PGA Tour and DPWT golfer. Rahm wants to continue to play events on the tours. “I still want to go and play as long as my schedule allows. So, if possible, we’ll see what we can make happen,” he said.

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The chances of this happening, however, are quite bleak at the moment. The merger between these three tours is still in talks and not finalized yet. Until it does, Rahm will face the same ban the other defectors have faced and will not get to compete in these tours’ events.

Rahm will lead a LIV Golf team

The second thing about Rahm’s future that is now quite certain is that in the 2024 season he will lead a new team on LIV Golf. The former PGA Tour pro has not yet revealed the details of which team he will head or who’ll be on it. In fact, he even teased the fans further about it, saying, “You’ll have to wait and see.”

Being a captain in the Saudi League certainly has its benefits. Not only will Spaniard get a chance to lead some top players, but he will also get to hold some major financial stakes in his team and hence benefit if they perform well.

Jon Rahm’s sponsor will stick with him

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When many big names like Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson defected to the Saudi-backed league last year, they saw their sponsors refuse to stand by, and years of partnerships were broken. That, however, is not the same fate Rahm will suffer.

The golf pro joined hands with Callaway in 2021, and they’ve been together ever since. Just earlier this year too, he signed an extension to his deal with them, receiving an equity stake in Topgolf Callaway Brands. And it seems like that partnership is still going strong, despite his move to LIV Golf. Callaway will not be dropping Rahm as their golfer.

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A lot remains to unfold about Rahm’s future, especially now that he stands in the pool of controversy. Will this $600 million deal he signed end up being more fruitful for him or lead to his downfall? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

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Written by:

Shafaque Taha

745Articles

One take at a time

I am Shafaque Taha, a senior golf writer at EssentiallySports, and here I am living my dream as a storyteller. Combining the knowledge from my master's degree in English literature, which was driven purely out of my passion for reading and writing, with my interest in the serendipity that I believe golf brings, I look to bring words to life for readers with my niche golf coverage. My love for the sport stems from the calming greens and the rush of adrenaline one feels when on them, and I especially enjoy watching LPGA Tour professionals in action.
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Edited by:

Sheldon Pereira

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