Jon Rahm has faith LIV Golf will develop a good survival plan
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Spain's Jon Rahm speaking to the media in the US on May 12, ahead of the May 14-17 PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club.
PHOTO: AFP
- Jon Rahm remains focused on golf despite LIV's funding uncertainty, trusting officials to develop a sustainable future plan for the series.
- Saudi backers withdrew future financing for LIV Golf, putting its survival beyond this season in a "precarious spot" due to shifted priorities.
- Rory McIlroy views LIV's funding pullout as a risk defecting players took, noting geopolitical ties made it a likely outcome.
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NEWTOWN SQUARE – LIV Golf’s struggle to survive beyond the 2026 season, after Saudi backers pulled future financing, will not be a distraction for Jon Rahm when the PGA Championship begins on May 14 at Aronimink Golf Club.
Rahm, the two-time reigning LIV season champion and 2026 points leader, said on May 12 he has faith that LIV officials will develop a solid plan to sustain the series.
“It’s something we’ve had to deal with,” he said. “But it’s just some things that are out of my control.
“What I can focus on is the next shot. It’s the people in charge of LIV, whose job I do not envy for a second... it’s their job to fix it.
“I have faith in the work they’re doing. I have faith that they’re going to come up with a good plan. Until that plan is explained to us, not that there isn’t anything to worry about, but I don’t think I need to add any attention to it.”
The 31-year-old Spaniard, winner of the 2021 US Open and 2023 Masters, jumped from the PGA Tour to LIV in December 2023. He has dominated 2026 so far with LIV titles at Hong Kong in March and Mexico City in April, as well as runner-up efforts in Riyadh, Adelaide and South Africa.
Rahm noted the irony in his success with shot-making control on the course, but little power to control business matters away from it.
“It’s funny in a sport that we like to be in control so much, how little we are actually in control,” he said. “I’m in control of my golf game. I’m not in control of everything else.”
He also said any lessons learnt from his decision to join LIV “is for me to know”, but added his philosophy is that decisions must be made with no regrets or unhappiness.
“If the terms change afterwards, like it has happened with LIV that things changed a little bit, it’s an afterthought, not a problem from the choice,” he said.
Reigning Masters champion Rory McIlroy, meanwhile, said LIV’s pullout was a risk his rivals took in leaving for US$25 million (S$31.8 million) events and rich contracts.
“I think it was always a possibility to happen,” he said. “I think everyone knows with everything that’s happening in the Middle East, that had a lot to do (with it), but whenever you have funding tied so much to the geopolitical landscape in the world, that’s a tricky road to navigate.
“Their priorities shifted, and that puts LIV in a pretty precarious spot, but it was always a possibility.”
McIlroy said he knew of the Saudi Public Investment Fund yanking support beyond 2026 before LIV confirmed it.
“It just feels like the rug was pulled from under their feet and everyone was sort of blindsided by it, but again, that’s the risk those guys chose to take,” he added.
“There’s a lot of uncertainty in the air right now. From what I read, they’ve got some sponsorship revenue for I don’t know how long. If they do somehow get a schedule together for next year, it seems like it’s going to look drastically different.” AFP
