Jon Rahm has reportedly entered into negotiations with LIV Golf over a possible transfer, and Phil Mickelson has also reportedly confirmed the claim.
Phil Mickelson has reportedly confirmed that Jon Rahm will join the LIV golf team, following claims that the Masters champion has begun talks to join the team.
On Wednesday, Bunkered reported that Rahm was in talks about a possible move to Saudi Arabia. The source insisted that although the impending move is “far from the finish line”, the Spaniard is “closer to joining than before”.
Since its inception last June, LIV has attracted many of the PGA Tour’s biggest names, including Mickelson, Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson, and current Masters champion Rahm appears to be next on that list.
Following Rahm’s latest LIV link, Fire Pit Collective’s Alan Shipnack provides an update and notes that Mickelson (whom he wrote a biography of) Rahm is a member of a Saudi-funded organization. He claimed that he brazenly informed those close to him that he might be a member of the group. The series switches to “deal Completed”.
Rahm has remained relatively neutral in the ugly battle between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, but a move to a breakaway league will come as a shock to many following his previous comments.
In August, the Spaniard admitted he was “laughing” every time he was linked with a signature from Greg Norman & Co.
In August, he said on the Golf Sin Etiquetas podcast: Despite their differences on tour, Rahm and Mickelson are said to have a close relationship.
They met again for a practice round at this year’s Masters, just days before the Spaniard won his first green jacket.
Rahm further downplayed the possibility of a move to LIV last summer, admitting that Mickelson himself told him that a move to Leave was not in his best interest. “I always have a lot of fun with Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia in the practice rounds for majors,” he added.
“Phil (Mickelson) respects my decision and I respect his [choice]. “Mickelson has told me there’s no reason to play in LIV and he’s said that many times. LIV Golf is currently in its first offseason transfer window, with nine players remaining on its 48-man roster.
One of those will be taken over by the returning Andy Ogletree, who regained his LIV spot after winning the International Series Achievement Award on the Asian Tour. Three more slots will be filled next month in Abu Dhabi, where the Saudi Support League will host the first-ever Qualifying Schools event called the LIV Golf Promotion.
It remains to be seen whether any of the remaining five spots will be filled by 2023 LIV players who subsequently become free agents, or by players from other countries. Mickelson himself announced last month that he has interest from players on rival tours looking to join the Rebels in 2024.
“When a player sees LIV, he wants to be a part of it,” he said in Miami last month. “Everyone here is happy and enjoying what we do, the team aspect of each other, the camaraderie, the global game of golf and all the benefits that come with playing this tour.”
“There’s a lot of players that see that and want to be a part of it. The question is how many spots are available? There’s a lot more players that want to come than there are spots.”