“I don’t think for him it was the money” - Jordan Spieth shares his take on Jon Rahm’s $566 million LIV Golf move
Jon Ram’s move to LIV Golf rocked the golf world last week. While LIV fans accepted it wholeheartedly, several others criticized it. Many claimed that the Masters champion got ‘sold out’ for the big-money paycheck. However, Jordan Spieth has come out to express that the Spaniard’s move wasn’t for money.
Spieth, who recently joined the PGA Tour policy board as a player director, said that he doesn’t think Rahm moved to LIV just for the money. According to the 30-year-old American star, Rahm’s defection to the Greg Norman-led series had more to do with the state of golf than the exorbitant deal. Spieth noted that the PGA Tour’s present positioning might have bothered Rahm.
Speaking about Jon Rahm in an interview with the Associated Press’ Doug Ferguson, Jordan Spieth said:
“I don’t think for him it was the money. I believe he saw two places that neither one was in a great situation right now, and he said, ‘May as well have the money.’"
It is pertinent to note that Spieth’s comment sheds light on the recent developments regarding the PGA Tour. The American circuit recently agreed to a framework agreement with the PIF, which runs LIV Golf. However, the details of the agreement are yet to be confirmed. As for now, the PGA Tour is struggling to keep up with the impact of LIV over the last two years.
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan originally planned to meet with PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan last week to discuss future moves. However, this meeting was pushed back to next week, just before Jon Rahm signed for the breakaway tour.
Commenting on the Saudis, Jordan Spieth said:
“It’s a really nice play by them. I think we hold the best hand, but they know what our hand is. It’s a nice leveraging tool with everything going on.”
Jon Rahm on not revealing LIV Golf contract details
The reigning Masters champion reportedly signed a $566 million deal with LIV Golf. According to The Telegraph, Jon Rahm received around $302 million from the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund when he signed the contract. Apart from this, the golfer is set to get his franchise team on the series. He will be paid the remaining amount throughout the agreement, which is said to expire in 2029.
It is pertinent to note that the original sum involved in the deal is yet to be confirmed. While raging debate of the rumored contact goes on, Rahm came out to state that he “did not want to disclose the amount.” Furthermore, he confessed that he enjoyed watching “people go wild” in guessing the sum.
Speaking on the Pat McAfee Show last week after he signed for LIV Golf, Jon Rahm said:
"The best thing about not saying anything (about the contract) is watching people go wild about what it may or may not be."
Rahm’s comment received backlash online. Many fans slammed the Spaniard for ‘selling out’ for money while claiming to ‘grow the sport’ with LIV.