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Profitable final yr’s Masters, and the assured spots in a number of majors that got here with it, was a decisive consider Jon Rahm‘s resolution to modify to LIV Golf, in keeping with the big-hitting Spanish participant whose transfer shocked the golf world.
Rahm, 29, introduced in December that he was becoming a member of the Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf League. He made his debut in Mexico final weekend, ending in a tie for third.
Rahm had initially performed down his possibilities of switching to LIV Golf, saying the massive monetary incentives up for grabs didn’t actually curiosity him.
However he now concedes that the cash being supplied was laborious to show down and the truth that he’s assured to have the ability to play within the Masters helped make up his thoughts.
“Profitable the Masters was an enormous step in direction of perhaps excited about it,” Rahm told Golf.com’s Breakthrough. “Being exempt from majors, realizing that most certainly you possibly can play the Masters for all times and the U.S. Open not less than till 2031, you already know, I am set with two of these, proper, so it was a giant figuring out issue.”
Rahm reportedly obtained greater than $300 million to affix LIV Golf, and whereas he says he meant what he mentioned in 2022 that he was already rich sufficient to take pleasure in an awesome life-style, the sums being supplied ultimately had been too tempting.
“Once I mentioned that, I totally meant it and it was true. Now, after they slap you with a big amount of cash in your face, your emotions do change,” Rahm mentioned. “I attempt to not be a materialistic particular person, however I do owe it to my household as properly to set them up for achievement one of the best I can, and having youngsters I believe modified that fairly a bit. So the cash is part of it, I am not going to lie.”
Talks over a possible merger between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour have been ongoing since a framework settlement was reached in June, though an preliminary Dec. 31 deadline to rubber-stamp the deal was missed.
Rahm mentioned he hopes his resolution to play LIV Golf may even assist the 2 events come collectively for the great of the game.
“I actually hope that issues can come collectively,” he mentioned. “I am simply hoping that we get to some extent the place it is coherent and there’s coexistence and there is a path for individuals to take pleasure in the identical perks that you’ve got the excursions.
“I hope that me coming is not less than tipping the scales a little bit bit for the world of golf to come back collectively as a result of I do see a scenario the place we will find yourself with an awesome product for the crowds and to have golf as a greater leisure enterprise than it was earlier than.”
Rahm will play in his second LIV Golf occasion on the Las Vegas Nation Membership this week. However conceded it’s disappointing not with the ability to play his favourite tournaments on the PGA Tour.
“I am hoping that within the close to future I might be again taking part in a few of these occasions,” Rahm told reporters Tuesday. “I will surely love to return and play a few of them.
“If there’s ever a method again and a method the place we will play, even when it is as an invitation, I’ll take it. There’s sure occasions which are particular to me that I’d nonetheless like to assist.”
Reuters contributed to this report.
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