John Rahm has lifted the lid on the reasons he “wasn’t willing” to remain with LIV Golf, while expressing hope he would be able to secure a return to the PGA Tour.
Rahm was one of the most high-profile – and biggest-paid – golfers to sign up with the formerly Saudi-backed rebel league, on a reported $300 million contract.
However, with LIV collapsing following Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund withdrawing their support earlier this year, a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing enabled Rahm, as well as several others, to finish their contracts with the league – with a reported $150 million of his initial contract still outstanding.
Rahm cited “unacceptable” terms at the time as his reason for leaving.
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The Spaniard is expected to receive formal approval for the departure by a bankruptcy judge later this week.
Speaking publicly on his LIV exit for the first time at the DP World Tour’s Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship event, Rahm praised his time with the league as a “wonderful experience”.
But he added that the changes being made for what CEO Scott O’Neil has dubbed “LIV 2.0” didn’t appeal to him.
“As much as I liked the project and the idea on, let’s say, LIV 1.0, I wasn’t thrilled with the changes they were doing to 2.0 and I just wasn’t willing to follow that path,” he said.
“It wasn’t anything special, anything that stood out. I just didn’t like what they were going with 2.0.”
“There were too many unknowns at the time … it seemed like it was going a bit away from team golf and some of the things that we do.
“It just kind of became more of a regular tournament. It wasn’t really ever much of a consideration.”
Rahm was one of LIV’s biggest creditors when the league filed for bankruptcy in September, with $7.5 million owed from prizemoney and appearance fees.
His next step is seeking a return to the PGA Tour, which has banned all LIV golfers from competing for a year following their most recent appearance – which for Rahm is the season-ending Indianapolis event in August.
The Spaniard said he was yet to open discussions with the PGA Tour on a possible return, having welcomed the birth of his fourth child.
He said he would “most likely” be willing to accept the same terms the tour offered Brooks Koepka at the end of 2025 to return.
“But it’s a big if,” Rahm added.
“I seriously doubt I get offered the same deal that Brooks did.”
Koepka was forced to pay $5 million to charity and was deemed ineligible for the PGA Tour Player Equity Program for five years, as well as several other sanctions, terms Rahm rejected.
His other option is to serve a one-year PGA Tour suspension and only feature in DP World Tour events.
“If I have to fulfil a one-year suspension, I think it’s a pretty good position to be that a worst-case scenario (is) I get to play on a wonderful tour for a whole year,” Rahm said.