Rory McIlroy wrote off LIV Golf’s chances of succeeding before it had even begun, but the breakaway circuit has continued its rise with the mega-money signing of Jon Rahm
Rory McIlroy has been left eating his words on the back of Jon Rahm’s move to LIV Golf, after the Northern Irishman previously claimed the breakaway league was ‘dead in the water”.
Rahm became the latest big-name player to sign with the LIV setup, and did so in record-breaking fashion, after reportedly being handed a deal worth £450million to make the Saudi switch. The signing of the Spaniard is the latest chapter in the Saudi-backed series’ rise into the world of professional golf, a tough pill to swallow for McIlroy and the PGA Tour.
The Northern Irishman has proven to be one of the rebel league’s biggest critics since its inception, and had already written off LIV’s chances of success before had it even got started.
Talks of a Saudi-funded golf league initially began last February, but a number of PGA Tour stars – who have since made the LIV move – were quick rule out their chances of signing with Greg Norman and co. Amid the lack of interest McIlroy declared that the breakaway circuit was ‘dead in the water’.
In February 2022, he claimed: “Yeah, yeah. Who’s left? Who’s left to go? I mean, there’s no one. It’s dead in the water in my opinion. I just can’t any reason why anyone would go.” Of course those in charge of the rival league have been quick to prove the four-time major champion wrong.
Since forming last June LIV have attracted a whole host of stars from the PGA Tour, including Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau. This week however marked their biggest coup yet, after securing the signature of the Masters champion.
Rahm however appears to have put his Ryder Cup future in doubt after making the Saudi switch, meaning McIlroy and co could be without the Spaniard for the title defence in 2025. Despite his LIV Golf criticism, the Northern Irishman has called on Team Europe bosses to change its qualification rules to ensure Rahm can play in New York.
“Jon will be in Bethpage in 2025,” McIlroy told Sky Sports. “So due to this choice the European Visit must rework the guidelines for Ryder Cup qualification, totally, there is no doubt about that. I surely need Jon Rahm in the following Ryder Cup group.”
McIlroy did anyway concede he would miss going up against the Spaniard every week on the PGA Visit. “I will miss contending with him week-in-week-out,” he added. “He is a decent player, he has such a lot of ability. He is so steady, and an incredible partner at the Ryder Cup.
I have only beneficial comments about Jon. I regard the damnation out of him as a golf player. He seems like he needs to carry on with his life the correct way. He needs to be a decent father, a decent spouse. You can’t pass judgment on somebody for settling on a choice that is generally ideal for them.”