7 LIV stars including Jon Rahm who went back on their word to join Saudi series
Jon Rahm has become the latest PGA Tour star to make the move to LIV Golf, after previously stating he had no plans on signing with the breakaway league.
Rahm became the LIV setup's biggest coup yet, after his Saudi switch was finally confirmed last week. Reports have suggested the Masters champion has been handed a record-breaking £450million deal to leave the PGA Tour and join Greg Norman and co.
Despite having stayed relatively neutral during the Tour's lengthy feud with the breakaway league, his decision to make the move did come as a surprise having previously admitted he would not be lured in by the mega-money offers.
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Of course Rahm is not the first LIV Golf star to initially rule out his chances of leaving the Tour, and here is a look at who also opted to go back on their word and team up with the breakaway league.
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Jon Rahm
Where better to start than the man of the moment Rahm. Opening up on his move late last week, the reigning Masters champion did admit that the lucrative offer put on the table by LIV bosses did play an integral role in his decision to defect.
It proved to be quite the change in mentality though, having admitted at last year's U.S. Open that a multi-million pound deal was of no interest to him. "Money is great, but when [wife] Kelley and I… this first thing happened, we started talking about it, and we're like, will our lifestyle change if I got $400 million? No, it will not change one bit," Rahm said last summer.
"Truth be told, I could retire right now with what I've made and live a very happy life and not play golf again. So I've never really played the game of golf for monetary reasons. I play for the love of the game, and I want to play against the best in the world. I've always been interested in history and legacy, and right now the PGA Tour has that."
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Jon Rahm reportedly signed a £450 million deal (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)That is not all, after the Spaniard admitted to Golf Sin Etiquetas in August that he would 'laugh' when his name was linked with the breakaway league, due to not being a fan of the 54-hole, no-cut format. Four months on though, the two-time major champion has clearly had a change of heart.
Brooks Koepka
Rahm is not alone in changing his stance though, after fellow star Brooks Koepka took a similar approach prior to his move last summer. Having pledged his loyalties to the PGA Tour in February 2022, Koepka was discussing the potential of the newly-proposed Saudi golf league luring in players from the American-based circuit.
"Everyone talks about money," the five-time major champion commented. "They've got enough of it. I don't see it backing down; they can just double up and they'll figure it out. They'll get their guys. Somebody will sell out and go to it."
Of course that somebody went on to become Koepka who was handed a deal in excess of £80m to make the Saudi switch last year. Since then the American star gave a pretty simple explanation as to why he opted to go back on his word, admitting: "Opinions change, that was it."
Bryson DeChambeau
In joining LIV Golf Koepka teamed up with his old PGA Tour rival Bryson DeChambeau, who also initially played down his chances of signing with Norman. Also speaking in February 2022, DeChambeau echoed the thoughts of a number of his fellow PGA Tour stars in ruling out a move to the Saudi-backed league.
He said: "While there has been a lot of speculation surrounding my support for another tour, I want to make it very clear that as long as the best players in the world are playing the PGA Tour, so will I." Of course a number of his fellow players did opt to leave the PGA Tour, and DeChambeau followed suit.
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Bryson DeChambeau was one of LIV Golf's biggest signings (Getty Images)Dustin Johnson
Another fellow big PGA Tour name who adopted the same approach as DeChambeau was former world No. 1 Dustin Johnson. Johnson joined a number of his Tour colleagues in initially committing his future to the sport's leading circuit on the back of Phil Mickelson's infamous backing behind the Saudi golf league.
"I feel it is now time to put such speculation to rest. I am fully committed to the PGA Tour," Johnson declared last winter.. "I am grateful for the opportunity to play on the best tour in the world and for all it has provided me and my family."
Just months later though the former Masters winner was handed one of LIV's most lucrative offers, which proved to be too good to turn down. Discussing his move on Netflix's 'Full Swing', he admitted: "The decision to join LIV came down to the offer they made me. For me it was playing less, making more money, pretty simple.”
Paul Casey
One man who was also enticed by the Saudi riches was Englishman Paul Casey, despite previously stating he would be a 'hypocrite' for taking a paycheque from the Middle Eastern state. Speaking back in 2019, Casey told The Independent : "Signing a deal and being paid to be down there, I would be a hypocrite if I did that.
"Anyone who says sport isn’t political, that’s rubbish. I’m glad I took a stance, more so if it highlighted the issues within the region.” His comments came prior to the DP World Tour's Middle Eastern swing four years ago.
Joaquin Niemann
Joaquin Niemann proved to be quite the catch for the LIV setup, with the youngster announcing himself as one of golf's hottest prospects on the back his rise on the PGA Tour. Niemann's switch was rewarded by LIV bosses, after the Chilean was named the breakaway league's youngest captain, having been put in charge of Torque GC.
Looking at his previous comments though, it appears a move to the LIV league was not always in his plans. "Nothing to tell from me [on LIV Golf]," he said at the 2022 U.S. Open. "I want to do my best to beat all these guys. They’re still here and as long as they’re here [PGA Tour], I’m not going anywhere. No chance.”
Harold Varner III
Harold Varner III has made no secret of his love for NBA great Michael Jordan, donning the iconic Jordan brand whilst out competing on the golf course. And speaking last year, the former PGA Tour star admitted the influence of the Chicago Bulls legend is what helped him initially decided to swerve LIV Golf.
"It helps because I'm sure he's [Jordan] had decisions like this long before I was even born," he claimed. "I'm obviously not going [to LIV Golf]. I've spoken with Jay [Monahan], I've spoken with a lot of people I look up to and it just wasn't worth it to me for what it was worth."
Things quickly changed though, with Varner opting to team up with the Saudi-backed league. On the back of his u-turn, the American claimed: "The opportunity to join LIV Golf is simply too good of a financial breakthrough for me to pass by."
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