“I’m not entirely happy that they’re here” – When Jon Rahm spoke about LIV Golfers taking spaces at DP World Tour event without 'interest'
Jon Rahm has been heavily linked to joining LIV Golf. The Spanish golfer is reportedly in advanced stages of signing a contract with the Saudi-funded series.
Rahm is one of the golfers who, since the inception of the series, has neither publicly criticized nor promoted LIV Golf. Nonetheless, he has frequently voiced his opinions and made remarks about the series.
Last year at the BMW PGA Championship, a DP World Tour event, Rahm gave his thoughts on PGA Tour players who joined LIV Golf. While those players were banned from the American Tour, they were allowed to compete on the DP World Tour event and earn World Ranking points in order to secure their spots in Majors for the following year.
In an interview with the Golf Channel, Rahm said that he was not entirely happy with some of the LIV players playing at the tournament. He also suggested they were stealing spots of deserving golfers.
As some of these players were at a high rank when they were allowed to compete at the 2022 BMW PGA Championship, several DP World Tour golfers who were trying to earn a spot missed the opportunity to compete at the tournament.
Speaking about the LIV golfers, Rahm said:
"I am not entirely happy that they are here. What I don’t understand is some players that have never shown any interest in the European Tour, have never shown any interest in playing this event, being given an opportunity just because they can get world ranking points and hopefully make Majors next year."
Rahm gave the example of his friend, Alfred Garcia-Heredia, who missed the chance to be in the field because of the LIV golfers.
"A perfect example, a good friend of mine is the first one out on the entry list right now," Rahm said. "It doesn’t hurt me but it does bug me that somebody who has played over 20 DP World events this year cannot be given the opportunity to play a flagship event because some people that earned it, to an extent, are being given an opportunity when they couldn’t care any less about the event. They don’t know. They don’t care. They don’t know the history of this event.”
Rahm also mentioned that he had no issues with golfers like Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood playing at the tournament as they had spent their entire life playing on the DP World Tour.
"I do see the appeal" - Jon Rahm on LIV Golf
Dozens of players from different golf series have joined hands with the Saudi-backed circuit since its inception. Jon Rahm was also offered a contract, which he rejected last year.
Last summer, the golfer spoke about the prospect of joining LIV Golf, saying (via Mirror.co.uk):
"I consider the PGA Tour has done an amazing job giving us the best platform for us to perform. I do see the appeal that other people see towards the LIV Golf. I do see some of the - I'll put this delicately - points or arguments they can make towards why they prefer it."
The 29-year-old did continue to swear loyalty to the PGA Tour. However, the Spaniard turned down the Tour's invitation to join the policy board last month and withdrew from the Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy virtual golf series, TGL, stoking speculation that he may be taking a different route and join LIV Golf in the near future.