Amid LIV Golf’s financial and legal troubles, Gary Player thinks that Jon Rahm should think long and hard about his future with the breakaway league. He shares a history with Rahm. Player considers Rahm among the game’s true elite and among the few still performing at a major championship level, but also criticizes him if need be. For instance, in May, he argued that Rahm and other LIV Golf defectors should face strict accountability than a free pass back to the PGA Tour. When Player brings up Rahm, he holds him to a standard that he doesn’t apply to the rest of the field. He has once again sent the Spaniard a message that is difficult to ignore.

Speaking with Golf Monthly, the nine-time major champion gave Rahm an ultimatum on how he wants his career to unfold: stay with LIV for comfort or leave it for recognition on the PGA and DP World Tour circuits.

“A beautiful thing about democracy is that we have a choice. Not like communist countries, where you don’t really have a choice. Jon Rahm must decide that himself. You will never be given full recognition at the end of your career as a champion, as a world champion, unless you play on the regular tour. That was my choice, that was Nicklaus’s choice, that was Tiger Woods’ choice. And Jon Rahm must choose for himself. He’s a very intelligent man. I hope he makes the right decision.”

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Player is trying to show Rahm the path. He, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods were among the few who continued to play in regular tour events and majors long after 50. They had that competitive drive, had earned lifetime exemptions into major championships, and wanted to see whether they could play against the young crop of golfers. Player has indirectly warned Rahm that if he wishes to be recognized, he needs to choose between legacy and money.

Rahm’s situation in LIV isn’t unknown. He’s spent the better part of the year fighting the DP World Tour over fines tied to his LIV commitments, furthermore rejecting any compromise other players had accepted. But finally, after LIV’s funding collapse, he settled the deal in May, clearing his path back to Ryder Cup eligibility for 2027. It sent a message: Rahm is looking for other options. However, since then, he has gone silent about his future with LIV, making many wonder. But there’s possibly a reason for that.

LIV Golf is not in a good place. Bloomberg reported in May that the league was preparing bankruptcy paperwork when the Saudi Public Investment Fund confirmed it would pull its backing. Since then, reports have detailed staff payoffs, prize money cuts, and canceled events, including the Michigan Team Championship. Rahm’s contract makes him one of the league’s biggest creditors in a bankruptcy scenario. But despite the league’s condition, Rahm is shining.

He currently leads LIV’s individual standings with 944.54 points, riding his best ball-striking numbers since the 2023 Masters. Rahm leads in birdies, eagles, and greens in regulation. He won in Hong Kong and Mexico City and has top-five finishes across the board this year. But despite these numbers, Player wants Rahm to decide his future.