"He knows that he's going to be in the majors" - Hunter Mahan comments on Jon Rahm’s move to LIV Golf
PGA Tour professional golfer Hunter Mahan recently opened up about Jon Rahm's shocking move to LIV Golf. The Spaniard confirmed his move to the Saudi Arabian circuit last week by sharing a picture with LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman. Rahm is slated to compete in the upcoming season of the controversial circuit.
Recently, Hunter Mahan spoke with Michael Breed on the latest episode of Sirius XM and discussed the historic move. Mahan, who has six PGA Tour victories under his belt, said that Rahm defected to LIV because he holds eligibility to compete in the Major tournaments.
In the interview, Mahan emphasized on the circumstances and said that golfers are well known for winning Majors. People remember them for the Majors they have won and not because of their PGA Tour or DP World Tour victories.
He reflected that Rahm could still play major golf tournaments, add more victories to his collection, and continue to have a prosperous career in golf even after he left the PGA Tour.
"I don't think Jon Rahm makes this decision without winning the Masters. He knows that he's going to be in the majors. When we talk about professional golf, we talk about Majors. We just don't talk about winning on the PGA Tour. People know what major Jon Rahm has won. I doubt, they can actually tell you, how many PGA Tour tournaments he has won," Mahan said.
Last year, Rahm turned down an opportunity to join LIV, choosing instead to continue on the PGA Tour. He went on to win the Masters in April.
Rahm has earned eligibility to compete at the Masters for a lifetime as one of the winners of the prestigious competition. Additionally, for several years, he met the qualifying requirements of all other majors, including the US Open, the PGA Championship, and The Open Championship.
How many majors has Jon Rahm won?
The current World No. 3 has won two majors so far in his career. He won the US Open in 2021 for his first major title before following it up with his second major win at the Masters in 2023.
Jon Rahm won the Masters by registering four strokes over Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson, who play on the LIV Golf.
Rahm's best finish at The Open Championship also came in 2023, when he finished in a tie for second place. He finished fourth at the PGA Championship in 2018.
Rahm began competing professionally in 2016 and has since won 10 events on the European Tour and 11 on the PGA Tour. He will make his LIV Golf debut in February 2024 at the Mayakoba event.