Jon Rahm’s LIV Golf transfer aids 3 PGA Tour gamers for 2024 season

The PGA Tour has suspended Jon Rahm indefinitely, abiding by its priority for any participant who joined the Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit.

Many within the {golfing} world—together with myself—have famous how large of a loss Rahm is to the tour. In spite of everything, he’s the defending Masters champion, a U.S. Open champion, and an 11-time winner on the PGA Tour. His otherworldly talent and good presence of thoughts have led many to consider he will be the best European participant ever.

However he determined to depart the PGA Tour and its historical past for a brand new alternative with LIV Golf.

“In accordance with the PGA Tour Match Laws, Jon Rahm has been notified that he’s suspended and now not eligible to take part in PGA Tour match play attributable to his affiliation with a collection of unauthorized tournaments,” a memo to PGA Tour gamers learn, per Rex Hoggard of the Golf Channel.

Picture by Tracy Wilcox/Getty Photographs

“This has resulted in changes to each the 2022-2023 FedEx Cup Playoffs & Eligibility Factors Listing by way of the Playoffs and thru the FedEx Cup Fall. Ought to any further modifications happen, the FedEx Cup Playoffs & Eligibility Factors Listing will proceed to replace by way of the conclusion of the 2023 calendar 12 months, with closing eligibility for the 2024 season being set on Dec. 31, 2023.”

If Rahm had stayed on the PGA Tour, the Spaniard would have been invited to every Signature Occasion all through 2024—due to his standing throughout the prime 50 of the 2023 FedEx Cup rankings.

Subsequent 12 months’s Signature Occasions may have elevated purses, restricted fields, and better publicity. For somebody on the periphery of being an elite participant, incomes a spot in certainly one of these tournaments can change the course of 1’s profession.

That might occur to Canadian Mackenzie Hughes, who jumps from 51st to fiftieth within the FedEx Cup standings due to Rahm’s departure. Hughes has two PGA Tour wins in his profession: the 2016 RSM Basic and the 2022 Sanderson Farms Championship, each of which got here in a playoff.

For him to earn a spot in all Signature Occasions might pay huge dividends down the street.

However Rahm leaping to LIV will assist others as nicely. Each participant behind Hughes within the standings strikes up one spot as nicely.

Picture by Alex Slitz/Getty Photographs

Alex Smalley, who has by no means received on the PGA Tour, strikes as much as sixtieth, which earns him a spot in AT&T Pebble Seaside Professional-Am and The Genesis Invitational—the primary two Signature Occasions of the 2024 season. The highest-10 finishers from the FedEx Cup Fall—not in any other case exempt—earned spots within the fields at Pebble Seaside and Riviera.

To place this significance in perspective, Smalley has earned $4.76 million throughout his two-year profession on the PGA Tour. Now, he’ll compete in two occasions that every award $4 million to the winner. A robust end would undoubtedly change the trajectory of his profession.

Farther down the listing lies Carl Yuan, who jumps from 126th to a hundred and twenty fifth within the rankings. He now earns a PGA Tour card for the 2024 season. The highest 125 gamers from the prior 12 months’s FedEx Cup standings earn membership for the following season. That can assist Yuan’s job safety for the subsequent 12 months.

After which, lastly, Paul Haley, a 35-year-old Korn Ferry Tour journeyman, strikes from 151st to one hundred and fiftieth, thus incomes conditional standing on the PGA Tour for the 2024 season. Meaning he may have alternatives to play on the PGA Tour, however should play nicely to earn a spot in Signature Occasions. He’ll doubtless spend most of his time taking part in full-field occasions and in alternate fields, just like the Barracuda Championship.

However, having conditional standing is healthier than having no standing in any respect.

Regardless, Rahm’s exit is a big loss for the PGA Tour. But it surely additionally helps a couple of PGA Tour gamers. And who is aware of? Maybe certainly one of these gamers will seize the chance and emerge victorious in 2024. Discuss altering the course of 1’s profession—and life general.

Jack Milko is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By way of. You’ll be able to observe him on Twitter @jack_milko for extra golf protection. You should definitely try @_PlayingThrough too.