Jon Rahm to LIV??
 

There are reports that Jon Rahm will go to LIV for $600 million!!


Jon Rahm planning to bolt PGA Tour for LIV Golf in potential $600 million coup

I think he's as good as gone!!!

Who could blame him?

Blood Money

Still will not get me to watch. Team golf works for college; just no interest in pro league. :throwtomatoes:

I am not a fan of team golf either, or LIV, but 600m? That's incredible money, even for a pro golfer. I don't blame any of them for taking the $. I don't like it, but I understand it.

RCJ

I find LIV more entertaining then the PGA and as they continue to add players, if they keep the same entertainment, it could grow. PGA is sliding backward so will be interesting to see how the merger impacts the product.

I was at 2nd Stage of Tour Qualifying in GA last week. I was told by an insider whose name many would recognize, that it's been a done deal for almost 3 weeks, but the number isn't $600M ... not that we'll ever know the real number.

Apparently it became official, as I was typing the post above:

Jon Rahm joins LIV Golf, marking pro golf's latest shocker

Your browser is not supported | usatoday.com

LIV has plenty of "star" players, yet their TV viewing numbers are dismal. Rahm is not likely to improve them one bit.

The PGA is in complete disarray, I'm not sure LIV's low TV ratings are all that relevant.

Monahan probably won't make it to March as Commissioner.

& with Koepka, DJ, Cam Smith, Mickleson & Rahm, LIV has star power. Not many people care about watching Scottie Scheffler or Jordan Speith, regardless of their talent.

According to the NY Post,
the “five best players in the world right now are Scottie Scheffler, McIlroy, Rahm, Koepka and Smith. Three of those five players are with LIV Golf now.”

Bye and close the door.

LIV will allow a lot of golfers to retire young and enjoy the family, philanthropic efforts, bucket list items, etc.

He said he didn't do it for the money???

When the LIV tour gets better exposure it should take off. Right now it's only watchable on the cw net or streaming online. If they get on a major network like espn or cbs the numbers should climb

Yeah, I've been thinking about going too... ;)

Can't blame him for that kind of funny money. But I still won't watch LIV golf. Way too noisy. Like watching disney.

Go back and look at what Rahm said about the LIV Tour just a year ago. Lots of talk about integrity, and wanting to compete against the best golfers in the world every day. Guess he won't be doing that now. Sure...LIV has managed to lure a handful of good players, but it is mostly made up of has-beens and never-weres. But...then there is the money. The question becomes: Would you sell your soul to the devil if the money was right?

LIV Golf
 

I agree, RCJ61, money talks. My only thought is that for over two years, Rahm, has stated it's not about the money. Well guess what, it is. When they wave $600 mil in your face. I get it, it's about the money. They should just keep their mouths shut. I like Rahm a lot, I guess more so as a golfer. Now he'll be known as a huge hypocrite.

Try watching it on CW network. Scoreboard (on all of the time) looks like a stock market tickertape (too much information). It was boring to me. Most of the tournaments are overseas and not a good time for us in the USA does not help. Will be interesting to see how this pans out financially for the Saudis. Most of their populace is dirt poor and they are paying these guys billions with no TV contract and much smaller crowds at their tournaments. With 3 day tournaments they already have 25% less than a PGA tournament.

Like to play. Don't care to be a spectator. Call him, or any of the players, what ever you want, professional play for $$$. Like anyone, they go where they can make the most. 600 mil? Sure wish I could play that well.

Rahm
 

He is from Spain, so he is loyal to his country not ours, so money talks he can walk. Will still be able to play majors.

Would you sell your soul to the devil if the money was right?[/QUOTE]

No! But I would probably agree to play golf at a different venue for 600 million.

Why wouldn’t he take it, the PGA sold him out.

I think a lot of folks are missing the obvious about the LIV Tour.

The LPGA survives, despite abysmal TV Ratings in the USA, because it is a WORLD Tour.

The PGA is a USA Tour, with a couple of "rest of the world" events tossed in. There's a big giant world out there and the world's opportunity to watch the "best players in the world", is not the PGA/USA Tour. At this point, it's the LIV Tour, which has 3 of the Top 5 Players in the world and tournaments around the world.

As for the "I don't like what their tournaments are like", have you ever been to one? I have. I have never seen fans have more fun at a Golf Tournament, than they did at LIV Boston. 50% of the fans, weren't even "golf" fans, they were folks who wanted to see an EVENT they could bring their family to.

Stars are the attraction for golf fans. Scottie Scheffler isn't an attraction. Other than Tiger and Rory, the PGA Tour is devoid of stars. No Mickleson, no Rahm, no Koepka, no DJ, no Cam. It even goes a step further.

Because of LIV's format, it's more of a "family event" for the players. When's the last time you got to walk a few holes with Paulina Gretzky or Jena Sims? You will at a LIV event. When's the last time you were able to watch 12 of the best golfers in the world, play the same golf hole, in the space of 20 minutes? Because of the Shotgun start, you can at a LIV event.

Golfers at a PGA Tour event, spend 8-10 hours at the golf course. Golfers at LIV events spend 6 hours at the event and the rest of the day, roaming around being normal folks you run into at restaurants or malls.

Sports in the USA is about entertainment and star power, not competition. LIV recognizes that and I'm not sure the PGA has figured it out yet.

Money and the limited schedule are the only things that made him go. All the talk about "growing the game" is the stuff the Saudis want him to sell. Of all the LIV players, I think Harold Varner was the only one to admit that it was just the money and limited schedule that convinced him. I guess he just didn't want to read the script.

I agree and I've watched it a couple times.… Very distracting.
I don't think the Saudis really care much about this being financially success or not, as their public investment fund (PIF) is worth $700 billion.

And he claims he only plays for the love of the game. What a crock! They finally bought him. Not a fan of LIV golf.

Pat Perez has been joking about it since the beginning.

If I was in any job and someone offered me $600,000,000 to come and do the same thing for more money, and only work three days a week, I would seek psychiatric help if I even considered turning the offer down.
Not keen on the LIV format, but given that the PGA are holding out the begging bowl to the Saudis, I think Mr. Rahm has jumped ship at the perfect time.
Way thing are going it wont be long before Saudi Arabia will be bankrolling and calling the shots at the PGA as well.

Imagine if there were three more "zeros" and it was $600,000,000.

Although, I can assure you, the $600,000,000 number being bandied about for Jon Rahm is not what it seems.

One of the huge losers this week in the LIV controversy, is likely to be Will Zalatoris. He was supposedly offered $200,000,000 and declined. Word around the Tour is that he'll never be the same since his back surgery. I hope that's not the case. He's a really good guy and I have a friend who gave him some sponsorship money when he started out.

A huge hypocrite with $600 Million $$$... Oh, the shame...:cryin2:

Have added the $000. Thanks.

It is a shame about Zalatoris. One of my wife's favorites.
Plenty of other crocks took the money, and extended their careers, and enhanced their pension funds.
Probably couldn't believe their luck.

I guess LIV going to buy out all top golfers and leave PGA with second string.:oops:

Rhombo-last blood
 

Smart for Rahm to jump ship, talent declining, press coverage mocking him, and he is ready to semi-retire. Cannot blame him one bit for taking the money.
Not keen on the team format as they have become entertainers and not seeking the highest level of competition which is individual play.
LIV cannot go back to individual play because the talent isn't there. When Brooks K. was asked about not seeing LIV golfers at the US Open his comment spoke volumes.
"Evidently, they are not good enough."
Only time will tell how much audience money can buy. A lot of these guys cant play individual score anymore.
College kids are coming to the tour that will make them look like amateurs. LIV has provided its players a great gift in their waning skill years. Good for them. Not my cup of tea.

Jon Rahm is 29 and just had his best year as a professional, winning The Masters, 3 other tournaments, a crucial Ryder Cup victory (& 2-0-2 record), shot 63 at The Open Championship and set a new PGA Tour record for money winnings. If those are signs of declining talent, we're all in trouble.

The LIV Tour is individual play. Were you thinking they play a "Scramble" or something?

Your right, his best days are behind him, the LIV level of competition is lower. He won't have to strive anymore. Its good to get out at the top and not deal with what's next.

I am not sure it's a buyout. Hostile takeover may be.

That is BS! Who among us who wouldn’t take that kind of money?