Leo Messi leaving Barça and winning the World Cup with Argentina. Novak Djokovic lifting 24 Grand Slam titles. The world of sport has been rich in recent years in news that not so long ago were impossible to conceive. The signing of Jon Rahm (Barrika, 1994) by LIV falls squarely into this category and explodes the world of golf in what is surely the most momentous moment in its history.
The Basque golfer has been linked to the controversial Saudi circuit for months. Rumors to which he had always publicly responded by showing loyalty to the so-called traditional golf, represented in this war by the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour, and highlighting its history and its legend. In turn, it should not be overlooked, Rahm has always been one of the players who have most favored dialogue and consensus since the conflict broke out.
Finally, after many weeks of negotiations, Barrika's decided to take the step and last night at midnight, at mid-afternoon New York time, the agreement was officially announced and speculation was put to an end. Rahm will play at LIV. A reality that changes many things and that will cause a lot of talk in the coming weeks.
The main reason for the Spanish golfer's decision is undoubtedly economic. Although the exact figures have not been revealed, around 500 million euros have been blamed for Rahm's escape to the Saudi circuit. The number is infinitely greater than that received by some of those who will now be his main rivals in the LIV, such as Dustin Johnson, Cameron Smith, Bryson DeChambeau or Brooks Koepka, whose check approached 100 million being, as the Basque, also champion of majors.
Rahm will also now cross paths with Phil Mickelson, the biggest legend competing at the LIV, and one of his main mentors since his college days. Mickelson himself has never hidden that he acted as a commercial agent for the Saudis every time he played a few holes with Rahm to try to convince him.
Despite being the economic motivations of such weight, they are not the only ones that have led the Basque to take such a controversial step. Rahm had always been reluctant to accept the offer and dynamit everything. Publicly, he insisted time and time again on the defense of traditional circuits.
But since the war broke out in the world of golf, his estrangement from the leaders of the PGA Tour and some players has grown to a point of no return.
First it was commissioner Jay Monahan who started making very belligerent unilateral decisions against anything to do with the LIV. But the leader was called to the ranks by the world's leading golfers, who felt that they were not being taken into account enough in such a delicate setting. Rory McIlroy quickly took control and has shown himself to be one of the most active and critical players against everything the Saudi circuit means. In recent months, he has been replaced by Tiger Woods, new spokesman for the players' union, also always a staunch opponent of LIV, from which he rejected an offer of 800 million dollars.
Rahm, who for many weeks has been No. 1 in the world and is one of the most influential golfers today, feels that he, as well as many other players, has been left out when it comes to making certain decisions and considers that both Monahan, McIlroy and Woods have too many vested interests.
The moment when the signing is made official should also not be overlooked. In June, an agreement was announced between the PGA Tour, DP World and the Saudi Investment Fund (PIF), owner of the LIV, which seemed to end the war. But that writing, the details of which remain untranscended, has not yet crystallized and must be confirmed before December 31. With Tiger Woods at the helm, talks with Yassir al-Rumaian, governor of the PIF, are more than open trying to find a point of agreement between the interests of all parties, and the signing of Rahm can be a very powerful negotiating weapon.
The fact that it is realistic to reach a definitive agreement that allows LIV players to accumulate world ranking points and compete in Grand Slam tournaments has been another incentive for Jon Rahm to say yes.
