In December 2023 the bombshell that changed the world of Golf was dropped. The move made a big impact not only because of the player’s huge contract, but also because of his unexpected decision to join a tour that was not sanctioned by the PGA.
Rahm signed a contract for 500 million euroswhich caused a lot of criticism, but things did not turn out as expected. Last May, John Rahm missed the cut at the PGA (for the first time after 18 consecutive majors), confirming his bad streak since he left Saudi Arabia. However, now it seems that he is ready to change his career according to the Mirror.
Jon Rahm he finally surrendered and was “willing to return the Saudi money” they said in the mentioned media. Jon Rahm has not enjoyed the same level of success since joining LIV Golf last year and is reportedly open to returning to the PGA Tour, even if it means giving up his millions.
Rahm could get some of his money back from LIV Golf to get back to playing with players like Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler. A “veteran Tour insider” claims Rahm is reconsidering his move to the Saudi-backed league. “I’m 100 percent sure that if Jon can pay the money back to the Saudis and get back on tour, he won’t be able to sign the check that quickly,” an anonymous source told Golf Digest.
Not long ago, Rahm was shining as one of the PGA Tour’s rising stars. He amassed more than $70 million (£54 million) in career earnings on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, and enjoyed a prestigious spell as world number one for more than 50 weeks. His 11 PGA victories include wins at the Masters and the US Open.
The downturn after his jump to LIV Golf
However, since his 2023 jump to LIV Golf, Rahm’s performances and fan engagement have not reflected his former heights. “Now there are only four times a year that he plays with anyone interested,” the source added. “He thinks his game size is guaranteed wherever he plays, and that’s a serious miscalculation.”
Aside from last month’s Open, where Rahm tied for seventh at 3 under, the 29-year-old has had a tough time at the majors this year. He barely won the Masters, where he finished 45th, failed to advance to the PGA Championship and had to withdraw from the US Open due to a foot infection.
Before the Open, former European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley suggested that Rahm’s lackluster performances could be due to his alleged dissatisfaction with LIV Golf, which was rumored to sign him for more than $500 million ($386.3 million dollars).
“It’s not as cutting edge as it used to be,” McGinley said. “His performances in major tournaments show this. I don’t think he’s in a happy moment; he doesn’t seem happy on the golf course”.
Something that was unfortunately confirmed again at the Paris Olympic Games where he was one of the favorites for gold. and he has no medals. The Basque, in his Olympic debut, led with an advantage, but a terrible 14th hole (and a consecutive one) sank him. He finished in a disappointing fifth position.
Rahm’s start to 2024 was less than stellar, as he failed to win any of the first 10 LIV events, although he did tie for third in Adelaide and Nashville. However, last month he won at LIV UK, earning a tournament win for the eighth year in a row. In recent months, Rahm spared no criticism and suggestions for the improvement of LIV Golf. In April, he criticized the format of the event, pushing to change the 54-hole tournaments with the simultaneous start of a 72-hole tournament. “The closer we get to LIV to do some of these things, the better,” Rahm said.