Jon Rahm to LIV has Justin Rose questioning PGA Tour’s future

The steadiness of energy in males’s skilled golf could also be shifting. Jon Rahm, the No. 3 ranked participant on the planet, is reportedly leaving the PGA Tour for LIV Golf.

Quite a few sources have confirmed Rahm to have landed in New York Metropolis to finalize the deal.

His Ryder Cup teammate, Justin Rose, addressed the Rahm to LIV information Thursday forward of the Grant Thornton Invitational in Naples, Florida.

Rose pointed to a severe downside going through the PGA Tour sooner or later.

“We’re all making an attempt to guage PGA Tour versus LIV within the sense of the fan base and the economics round each excursions, however he’s the delta. He strikes the delta. He weakens one aspect and strengthens the opposite. So it’s an enormous transfer,” Rose mentioned to Sports activities Illustrated.

Picture by Christian Petersen/Getty Photographs

“I don’t know who else goes with Jon. I imply, clearly if it’s simply Jon, that’s unhealthy sufficient. What does that imply now to the trickle if it’s Jon plus a trickle?”

I’m not going to place phrases in Rose’s mouth. He isn’t flat out saying that both he nor anybody else particularly is debating becoming a member of LIV. However when somebody says they’re evaluating the 2 excursions, and one of many elements they’re is economics, it raises eyebrows.

LIV Golf is bankrolled by the Saudi Arabian Public Funding Fund (PIF), which is value over $700 billion. That has allowed them to poach among the sport’s largest stars, together with Rahm for what’s believed to be within the $500 million vary.

Past the monetary implications, the 2013 U.S. Open champion additionally touched on the opposite necessary side of this.

Among the many mass exodus over a yr in the past, 13 gamers had been main winners. However Phil Mickelson who has essentially the most with six, is clearly nicely previous his prime. Brooks Koepka has 5, however not many seen his departure an enormous loss to the Tour, figuring out the discord between among the different PGA Tour stars and Koepka.

However Rahm is totally different. The 29-year-old Spaniard carries with him loads of weight. He’s the reigning Masters champion, on the prime of his sport, in his prime, and is universally preferred.

He was extraordinarily vocal prior to now about his distaste for LIV, going as far as to pledge his allegiance to the PGA Tour. But, right here we’re.

In September, he was an enormous a part of the European Ryder Cup decimation of Staff USA. You might inform how a lot it meant to him all through the competitors. He’s clearly conscious that no LIV golfer was allowed to compete on the European Ryder Cup workforce.

So, both Rahm was merely swayed by generational wealth (which is clearly believable), or he envisions a special panorama of golf sooner or later. Both or each might be true and in each instances, it spells bother for the PGA Tour.

Kendall Capps is the Senior Editor of SB Nation’s Taking part in By means of. For extra golf protection, observe us @_PlayingThrough on all main social media platforms.