Jon Rahm admits he has no idea what the future of professional golf is going to look like as the fallout from the inception and establishment of LIV Golf continues.
The breakaway circuit launched almost a year ago at the Centurion Club just outside of London and sparked widespread controversy, with many labelling it nothing more than an attempt to sportswash Saudi Arabia’s human rights record.
That didn’t stop the likes of Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Cameron Smith and Brooks Koepka joining the Greg Norman-fronted tour, which has grown from season one to two despite the backlash.
Given the money available to Norman and the buy-in from some of the game’s biggest names, LIV Golf appears set to remain a feature at the elite level of men’s golf, but Rahm says how it will all shake out in the long run with the PGA Tour and DP World Tour is all a matter of perspective.
“I have no idea,” Rahm said, when asked what men’s pro golf would look like in the future. “I wouldn’t be able to tell you. It all depends who you talk to. If you talk to a LIV player, this is going to be great, it’s only going to get better. You talk to people on the other side, in two years they’re going to be done. I really couldn’t tell you.
“I have no clue. I really have no clue. I really don’t know what to say. Obviously they’re trying their hardest to be a little bit different, and it could pay off or not. I really don’t know.”
Rahm was also pressed on whether he thought getting embroiled in a war of words with LIV Golf had the potential to affect his golf. Rory McIlroy was one of the Saudi-funded league’s biggest critics but has now decided to swerve questions pertaining to LIV.
The Spaniard hinted that had he adopted the role McIlroy found himself in as the de facto voice of the PGA Tour, it would have taken a toll on him.
“I never got into the feud,” Rahm added. “I’ve never had any negative feelings towards any player that went over to LIV. In fact, I’ve mentioned many times I still play with many of them and still try to play practice rounds with Phil, played with Talor Gooch yesterday. Really doesn’t make a difference to me.
“It’s their life. I don’t have a personal issue with them, and there’s no reason for me to make it, but yeah, I think it would. Over a year, yeah, I think it could take some energy out of you.”
As for the business at hand, Rahm is coming into this year’s PGA Championship as the World No. 1 and the favourite to add to his stunning Masters success in April. The…
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