“Jon Rahm is going to bring a lot to the team event” – Joaquin Niemann says he is excited to have former rival Rahm playing on LIV Golf
Joaquin Niemann seems stoked to welcome Jon Rahm to LIV Golf. The Torque GC captain recently admitted that he was excited to have the Spaniard playing in the Saudi-backed series. Niemann shed light on Rahm’s Ryder Cup experience and claimed that the European star was “going to bring a lot to the team event.”
Niemann was speaking on LIV’s ‘Fairway to Heaven’ podcast when he opened up on Rahm’s controversial move. It is pertinent to note that the reigning Masters champion’s defection to the breakaway tour came after a month-long rumor and speculation. The reported $566 million deal seems to excite several LIV players, including Niemann.
Commenting on Jon Rahm’s big move, Joaquin Niemann said on the Fairway to Heaven podcast (from 42:00):
"I think Jon (Rahm) is going to bring a lot to the team event. I think, obviously we've seen how good he plays on Ryder Cups and how good he is as a team player. Almost every other country, except from the US, we are born playing Team events for our countries.”
The Chilean reiterated that Rahm would fit in perfectly to LIV’s team format. Furthermore, he even dubbed the former PGA Tour star as one of the best players in the world.
He added:
“Jon is one of those who grew up playing from Spain and you grew up playing for teammates and leading a team. I think we understand better how important is the team aspect. And we didn't have this opportunity in professional golf.
"So, I think it’s going to be huge to have Jon as a captain, as a team leader and how he would do with his teammates. So, it would be also nice to play against him. I think he's one of the best players."
With the comments, Niemann joined a long list of LIV stars who openly welcomed Jon Rahm to the series. Players like Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson had earlier lauded the move.
Jon Rahm excited to join LIV Golf
After a month of speculation, Rahm announced his move to LIV Golf on December 7. The World No.3 golfer took to social media to make the announcement. Posting a picture of him with LIV CEO Greg Norman, the Spaniard dubbed the move “a great opportunity” for himself and his family. He further noted that he was excited about the future.
Taking to X (formerly called Twitter), Jon Rahm wrote:
"I am proud to join @livgolf_league and be part of something new that is bringing growth to the sport. I have no doubt that this is a great opportunity for me and my family and am very excited for the future."
Later, Rahm opened up on the move in detail on a conference call with media outlets. He said that it was not an easy decision. However, he added that he was happy with the move. The Masters champion slammed the critics and backed the series’ short format. Rahm also repeated several LIV golfers’ claim of ‘growing the game’ with the breakaway tour.
It is pertinent to note that the exact amount offered to Jon Rahm is yet to be confirmed. According to reports, the golfer signed a $566 million deal, which includes his own team on the series.