PGA Tour players are preparing themselves for the Waste Management Phoenix Open, which starts this Thursday. One big name and local favorite will not be there, though. Recent defector and new LIV Golf star Jon Rahm expressed the disappointment he feels about not competing in the place he calls home- The Greatest Show on Grass.

“Driving by Phoenix as often as I had to and knowing that I wasn't going to play there, it's definitely emotional,” he told reporters, per NUCLR GOLF. “That's one of the things that I'm going to miss. I'm hoping that in the near future I can be back playing some of those events. I would certainly love to go back and play some of them.”

Rahm also admitted it was “hard” to miss The American Express and the Farmers Insurance Open in January. The 2021 PGA Player of the Year and reigning Masters champion signed a contract worth over $300 million to  join Saudi-backed LIV Golf last December. Despite both leagues appearing to make massive headway in 2023, an agreement has yet to be reached.

Therefore, PGA Commissioner Jay Monahan is continuing to uphold a ban on LIV golfers from participating in PGA Tour events. This is not news to Rahm or the other defectors. They know the deal. Accepting the absurd amount of money that the alternative league is willing to offer requires sacrifices to be made. For the Spaniard, that includes the opportunity to triumph in his hometown.

Sun Devils alum Jon Rahm will have to wait out a potential merger

Jon Rahm swinging a golf club

Jon Rahm played for and dominated at Arizona State before turning pro in 2016. He lives in Scottsdale, so of course the Phoenix Open carries special significance for him. But sentimentality was not enough to keep him in the PGA, nor will it sway Monahan and the board.

The PGA Tour and LIV Golf could eventually merge or allow players to cross over for select non-major tournaments. That will not be this week, however, or any time soon by the looks of it.

Now that he has made his decision, the only thing Rahm can control is how he performs for his new employer. The two-time major champion enjoyed a strong debut over the weekend, finishing third in the individual competition of the LIV Golf Invitational Mayakoba.

The next event is not until March. Meanwhile, the PGA will head to The Genesis Invitational next week, a tournament he won last year.