Jon Rahm’s PGA Tour return, Tiger Woods text, record-breaking LIV Golf contract

Rahm’s record-breaking LIV Golf deal

Rahm’s defection last year turned plenty of heads, not only due to his past statements about LIV but also because of the money involved. According to reports, the 2023 Masters champion signed an eye-bulging $500million (£386m) deal – the biggest contract in LIV Golf history.

It surpassed the £160m deal Phil Mickelson was handed in 2022, which previously held the record. Rahm’s contract runs until 2028 and reportedly includes shares in the Saudi-backed tour, use of one of the Saudi Royal Family’s private jets, and a team of 10 personal assistants who provide round-the-clock care for him and his family.

Texting Tiger Woods

Previously, Rahm was one of the few high profile golfers, along with the likes of Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, to pledge his future to the PGA Tour following the emergence of LIV Golf. After defecting, the Spaniard made efforts to contact his former tour-mates, and while McIlroy has been supportive, Woods has apparently left Rahm on read.

“I mean, Tiger, I texted him and the people that try to reach out, you know, the process, when I signed and I just let him know, ‘Hey, you know, this is a personal decision. I have nothing against anybody’,” Rahm told ESPN in February.

After hinting that Woods hadn’t answered his texts, Rahm said: “Rory has been supportive publicly of my decision, and he was privately as well.” He also refused to shy away from accusations that his decision to quit the PGA was motivated by money.

“This is a new change. A big change. I don’t want to skip through this point: A big change how golfers get compensated. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a big part of it. In a nutshell, I’m getting more to play the same sport and have more time. I don’t know about most people, but that sounds great to me,” he said.

Rahm’s stuttering start with LIV Golf

Despite being the highest-paid player in the history golf, Rahm isn’t exactly playing like it. It was widely assumed he’d start racking up titles as soon as the year began, but the two-time major champion hasn’t registered a single victory on the tour yet.

Speaking ahead of the 10th event of the season in Andalucia, in his native Spain, Rahm insisted the 54-hole format – a format he once labelled “not proper” golf – wasn’t having an impact on his form. That said, he has urged the powers that be to consider switching to 72 holes.

He also gave himself “a six out of 10” for the campaign thus far, and stressed that he just needed to find some consistency. “There’s been weeks where I feel like I scored a lot better than I felt,” he told reporters. “And there’s been a couple weeks where it could have been better.

“[I] haven’t won yet so that would deduct quite a bit from [my rating for the season]. I would say maybe six out of 10 if I had to say. But the year is not over. [There is] still a lot to play for.”

A possible return to the PGA Tour

He might be public enemy number one in PGA circles but that hasn’t stopped Rahm from imagining a future back on the tour. Speaking ahead of the Masters in April, he admitted he “still loves” the PGA Tour, adding: “I hope I can compete there again.”

“At the end of the day, I did what I thought was best for me and my family,” he said speaking about his defection. “It’s no secret that there’s some venues that I miss being at.

“Not being at Palm Springs, Torrey [Pines], Phoenix and LA wasn’t the easiest – those are venues that I absolutely love. I still love the PGA Tour and I still hope at some point I can compete there again.”

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