08 December 2023 , 00:01
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Jon Rahm has admitted money was a serious factor in his decision to leave the PGA Tour and sign with Saudi Arabia-funded LIV Golf - suggesting he made his decision after watching the Saudi Pro League sign superstars Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar.
The reigning Masters champion has agreed what is believed to be a five-year deal with the Saudi breakaway league, earning him an eye-watering £450million in the process. Rahm will also apparently start his own team in the league and is expected to be joined by other big-name signings.
Rahm's move to LIV has been speculated about for weeks, with rumours first starting after he withdrew from Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy's TGL league - which was due to start in 2024. After weeks of talk, the move was finally confirmed by the man himself on Thursday night.
READ MORE: Jon Rahm 'signs for LIV Golf' in £450m deal and sends shockwaves through PGA Tour
Speaking about the move for the first time, Rahm admitted the money had helped to persuade him to join the 54-hole no-cut league. He said, via Barstool Golf : "t’s one of the reasons, I’m not going to sit here and lie to you. It’s one of the reasons.”
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Rahm went on to explain he came to his decision to join the breakaway league, funded by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, after seeing the PIF's investment in football. The likes of Ronaldo, Neymar, Karim Benzema, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and N'Golo Kante have all joined Saudi Pro League teams in the past year.
The Spanish golfer continued: "When Ronaldo, Neymar, Benzema went those are big enough names to think why not me? Clearly they’re trying to create a positive impact in sports. I’m happy that in a small way I can help with that."
Jon Rahm posed with LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman after making the announcementRahm signing with LIV has sent shockwaves through the golf world, with the breakaway league still in negotiations with the PGA Tour over a merger. The two biggest organisations in the sport have a deadline of December 31 to agree the framework of a merger, but the signing of Rahm may well have thrown a spanner in the works.
Speaking about the negotiations, Rahm said: “I can’t speak on what I don’t know. I wish I knew more about where the framework stands. I’ve kept myself absent from all that to be able to play the best golf I can play.
"I found it to be a little distracting at times so I haven’t really focused on it. There’s been some leaps and some growth toward the game of golf getting together and I sure hope in the future we can make decisions that make golf better."