That is the second all of it turns into regular. When it’s not a spectacle, controversial, and even taboo. When it’s not about proper or improper or sturdy opinions or sticking it to the person. Jon Rahm’s transfer to LIV Golf is imminent, and it seems like the ultimate affirmation that that is merely the best way issues are. That is what the golf world goes to be.
As a result of this isn’t any individual chasing a payday like Dustin Johnson or Brooks Koepka. And it’s not a pariah spurning the PGA Tour like Phil Mickelson.
It is a golf nerd. An obsessive. A 29-year-old golf historical past buff who rises at 6 a.m. earlier than the youngsters are as much as rewatch tournaments on YouTube, who pesters golfers throughout rounds to study extra about well-known pictures they’ve hit, who reveres his Spanish childhood idols like Seve Ballasteros and Jose Maria Olazabal. It’s the identical one that shut down LIV rumors in Summer time 2022 by saying he and his spouse agreed LIV cash wouldn’t change their lives in any respect. “I’ve at all times been very excited about historical past and legacy,” Rahm mentioned, “and proper now the PGA Tour has that.”
Proper now. That, on reflection, was the important thing selection of phrases.
The second Jay Monahan and the PGA Tour went behind the gamers’ backs and made a cope with the Public Funding Fund of Saudi Arabia (the financiers of LIV), it modified the calculus. Sure, within the quick time period, it ended the numerous lawsuits and it put a brief halt on LIV poaching gamers. Nevertheless it additionally had two different unintended penalties. One, it led to gamers shedding their belief in Monahan, which he’s unlikely to ever get again. However the much less mentioned consequence is what may need introduced us to this second: making a cope with PIF normalized it. And eradicating that taboo may need eliminated the PGA Tour’s greatest protection.
Let’s return a bit. You is likely to be pondering, “Aren’t the PGA Tour and PIF working towards a deal? Why is LIV nonetheless poaching gamers?” That’s a key query. The June 6 framework settlement set a deadline of Dec. 31 to pursue a deal in good religion. The element that’s tough to know from the skin is how good that religion is and in the event that they’re in any respect near a deal. Way back to October, The Athletic’s Brendan Quinn reported sources on either side have been uncertain of a deal occurring. And it’s been no secret the PGA Tour has been speaking with different traders as contingency plans if it loses the billions of {dollars} of Saudi funding (though some stories declare these traders could possibly be along with PIF).
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So why snag Rahm? Why now? One might take it as LIV understanding a deal won’t occur and it must proceed to develop its product. That’s the easiest reasoning, and touchdown the reigning Masters champ and No. 3 participant on this planet is by far the most important attraction but. One price a reported $566 million, according to The Telegraph. LIV has landed some all-time greats like Mickelson and Johnson. And it’s landed some present stars like Koepka and Cameron Smith. However relying in your opinion, Rahm is likely to be the precise greatest participant on this planet, and he’s proper in his prime.
Jon Rahm, left, has joined Brooks Koepka as PGA Tour stars to affix LIV. (Andrew Redington / Getty Photos)
The opposite principle is that this can be a bargaining chip. A large, daunting bargaining chip. The PGA Tour has the leverage of courting different traders, already proudly owning the large TV offers and all of the relationships with sponsors that LIV craves. LIV’s greatest leverage in negotiations is likely to be taking superstars like Rahm, amongst others, and forcing the PGA Tour again to the desk for substantial negotiations. Need your star again? Make a deal. Monahan and PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan are scheduled to satisfy this week for negotiations, and perhaps in a month we’ll all look again on this because the dramatic transfer that introduced golf collectively. Possibly, simply perhaps.
However being naive is how the PGA Tour received itself in such a troubled place within the first place, so for the sake of dialog let’s assume Rahm simply left the PGA Tour and the conflict is again on indefinitely.
This one hits the tour in a far deeper, extra troubling manner. It’s any individual who famously as soon as declared “my fealty to the PGA Tour” and supported Monahan simply three months in the past now taking inventory of the scenario and saying he thinks that is the higher selection for his profession. It’s so, so completely different. As a result of it’s not this taboo, polarizing selection that shocks the world. Rahm simply thought it was the higher transfer, and meaning he gained’t be the final.
Possibly his Masters win modified issues. Rahm is such a legacy man. And now Rahm has a lifetime exemption to the Masters. His 2021 U.S. Open win will get him into that main by means of 2031, and he has 4 extra years of exemptions to the PGA Championship and Open Championship. So he’s nonetheless set for the following 16 majors, no less than, and I’m certain he assumes issues will change by 2027 to make sure LIV gamers get higher OWGR standing.
It may need to. As a result of this is likely to be the ultimate straw in accepting we stay in a world with two main golf leagues. If we have been being actually sincere with ourselves, the PGA Tour nonetheless owned the golf panorama by means of 2023. It had all the very best younger gamers and the highest three or 4 on this planet, and certain it was a bummer that Koepka, Johnson, Smith and so forth weren’t round each week, however we nonetheless noticed them on the majors and it by no means actually felt like an excessive amount of of a problem. Rahm (and whoever else now defects) strikes us nearer to 2 watered-down leagues. That’s dangerous for everybody.
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I’d quite LIV be an excellent product. Finally, I accepted defeat on my ethical excessive floor and mentioned I’d like to have the ability to watch Smith and Koepka, two golfers I significantly respect. As of now, LIV is a extremely poor product, from programs to presentation to the precise golf. Early stories of Rahm’s potential departure mentioned Rahm wished assurances LIV would alter its format. It’s unclear if that’s in any respect on the desk, however OWGR isn’t budging on not giving factors to a league that performs a complete spherical lower than the others. Possibly this all strikes LIV towards being a greater product.
However the mere truth we’re even discussing wanting LIV to be higher, the fact that we’re enthusiastic about two leagues and accepting their coexistence simply returns us to the actual level. Becoming a member of LIV is not scandalous. It gained’t get you canceled. It’s only one extra drop within the gradual drip of the brand new regular.
In August Rahm was requested the one change he’d most wish to see on the PGA Tour. It wasn’t some big-picture concern, the sort that makes folks go away. It wasn’t cash, branding or format.
“I do know that is going to sound very silly,” Rahm mentioned, “however so simple as having a freaking Port-a-Potty on each gap. I do know it sounds loopy, however I can’t select when I’ve to go to the lavatory.”
Rahm wasn’t making an attempt to run away from the PGA Tour. He simply was able to go to LIV, and you’ll’t assist however suppose it leaves all of golf caught in it.
(Prime photograph: Ross Kinnaird / Getty Photos)
