Jon Rahm resolves his dispute with European tour as LIV Golf faces loss of Saudi funding
STERLING, Va. (AP) — Jon Rahm has resolved his financial dispute with the European tour, a move that potentially gives him a place to compete in 2027 and beyond with LIV Golf facing an uncertain future. Rahm and Tyrell Hatton took questions Tuesday at LIV Golf Virginia after LIV CEO Scott O'Neil spoke to reporters about his efforts to court investors for a league that is losing its chief financial backer, Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, at the end of the season.
Both players declined to speculate on their future and noted that they remain under contract with LIV for years to come. “As of right now I have several years on my contract left, and I’m pretty sure they did a pretty good job when they drafted that, so I don’t see many ways out,” Rahm said. Asked whether Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund had committed to honoring contracts beyond 2026, O'Neil said, “I don’t even know how to think about answering.
” The Saudis have spent $5 billion on LIV Golf over five years without achieving profitability, including $1 billion on player contracts. Players compete for $30 million purses at each event on the LIV schedule, an amount that could be reduced next year without Saudi funding. The PGA Tour does not allow players to compete on both circuits.
However, LIV players have been welcomed back to the European tour after paying fines for playing in conflicting events. Rahm refused to pay the fines and the resulting standoff put at risk his participation in next year's Ryder Cup at Adare Manor in Ireland. “There is no longer a standoff.
We were able to reach an agreement. There were some concessions on both sides, and I offered some, they extended an olive branch,” Rahm said. “So that will not be a stress anymore.