A PGA Tour official has revealed his thoughts on Jon Rahm’s LIV Golf deal and what it means for the future of men’s professional golf.
Jon Rahm joining LIV Golf was “nothing more than a shot across the bow” and a “big f— you to the Tour”, according to a PGA Tour official.
The official’s remarks were revealed in a recent report by ESPN, indicating that the North American circuit is nearing a multi-billion dollar agreement with a group of American sports team owners.
The PGA Tour would receive over $3 billion in funding as part of the agreement with Strategic Sports Group to establish a new, for-profit organization.
The ESPN report stated the deal with SSG would be completed and announced before the end of the year.
Meanwhile there is a sense of urgency to bring LIV Golf’s financiers, the PIF of Saudi Arabia, into the agreement with SSG.
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan was scheduled to meet PIF governor and LIV mastermind, Yasir Al-Rumayyan this week.
Their meeting was apparently rescheduled, perhaps in light of this development.
Rahm’s decision to join LIV, for an apparent $300m, was announced on 8 December.
According to the official, who chose to remain anonymous, his defection was instigated as a direct result of Al-Rumayyan reading about the Tour speaking to other bidders.
“Yasir stood down for a while,” the official told ESPN.
He continued: “But as he kept reading about all these other suitors, I think he just decided, let’s go after the Masters champion, the guy who said he wouldn’t be bought for any price, and name him a price he couldn’t refuse.
“The lesson here is if you have enough money, you can do whatever the f— you want to in America.
“The Saudis have figured that out. Yasir understands that.”
Tiger Woods was asked about Rahm’s decision to join LIV at the PNC Championship.
As far as he was concerned the noise about Rahm was ‘all just speculation’ until it happened.
The 47-year-old also doubled down on his assertion a deal between all parties could be agreed by 31 December.
“That is our deadline and time frame as of right now,” he stated shortly after responding icily to a reporter regarding his future with Nike.
The official went on to say of Rahm: “It was just a shot across the bow.
“PIF fucked you by saying they could take anyone, even the guy who was determined not to go on the tour.
For the Saudis, three hundred million dollars is a rounding error.
“Their message was: ‘You want to keep fighting with us, really? You want to keep talking to everyone and box us out? Good luck with that.’
“That’s their message.”
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