Jon Rahm, the number three golf player in the world, announced this Thursday that the Saudi Arabian golf league, LIV Golf, seduced him with a great offer for which he will begin playing for said competitive circuit. According to data revealed to the press, Rahm will pocket $500 million annually in Saudi Arabia.
With this agreement, the Spanish athlete turns his back on the offers that came to him from the European and American leagues, to accept a signing in the Persian Gulf. "Money is a very important factor, but there is more, like playing as a team; my goal is for golf to grow," the golfer assured the media after learning of his decision.
I am proud to join @livgolf_league and be part of something new that is bringing growth to the sport. I have no doubt that this is a great opportunity for me and my family and am very excited for the future. pic.twitter.com/myf4isJgJ3
— Jon Rahm Rodriguez (@JonRahmpga) December 7, 2023
The announcement was made official through the Fox network, as well as on the athlete's social networks. He maintained that the decision was not easy to make but that "there are many things that LIV Golf can offer." The Saudi league for which Rahm signs has only been operating for two years and is a bid by Arab investment funds to see golf prosper in the Arabian Peninsula.
Controversial decision
For reasons like this, Rahm's decision was not without controversy. The player had assured a little over a year ago that winning $400 million more "would not change his life," in statements reported by Europa Press. At another time, also a year ago, Rahm would have confessed that the competition model of the Saudi league "does not seduce him at all." "I saw a bit of the LIV London Tournament and the only thing that was talked about was the fact that Charl Schwartzel took home 4.7 million dollars," he added on the same occasion in a statement that Europa Press also includes.
In recent years, the Saudi league has managed to gain assets such as Phil Michelson, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Cameron Smith and Ian Poulter. They even made an offer to Tiger Woods.
As the negotiations progress, the details of the agreements that Rahm can reach with the different leagues will be known. There is a possibility that there will be a match and that he will still be allowed to participate in some of the Western competitions.
