Jon Rahm is the latest golf superstar to be labeled a hypocrite after he signed a deal with LIV, and those who have seen what he said about the Saudi-backed last year understand why Rahm has faced so much criticism.
Rahm announced on Thursday that he has left the PGA Tour for LIV. Reports have indicated that the deal he signed is worth anywhere from $300-600 million. The news was particularly shocking given that Rahm has been one of the most outspoken supporters of the PGA Tour.
When rumors surfaced last year linking Rahm to LIV, the two-time major champion gave several reasons why he had no interest in the new league. One of them was that he cares too much about the history of golf. Another thing Rahm said was his lifestyle would not change if he signed a $400 million deal.
The comments, which you can hear below, went viral again on Thursday:
🚨👀🔙 #LOOKING BACK — Jon Rahm ripped LIV: “Shot gun 3 days to me is not a golf tournament , no cut. I wanna play against the best in the world in a format that’s been going on for 100s of years. Would my lifestyle change if I got $400M? Not one bit.” pic.twitter.com/wPyPLDV8Or
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) December 7, 2023
Rahm criticized the format of LIV Golf, but it sounds like he will now embrace it. He said on Thursday that he loves team golf and is looking forward to playing it year-round with LIV, where he will have his own team.
The PGA Tour and LIV Golf announced in June that they are merging. The deadline to complete the merger is supposedly Dec. 31., and there has now been talk that it could fall apart. Rahm’s decision to take the money from LIV could be a sign that the two leagues will remain rivals rather than becoming partners.
