Once upon a time, Jon Rahm made it clear he'd never leave the PGA Tour for LIV Golf, no matter how much money they offered him. This is what Rahm said following the 2022 US Open, via Forbes:
“Will our lifestyle change if I got $400 million? No, it will not change one bit,” the 29-year-old Spaniard said. “Truth be told, I could retire right now with what I’ve made and live a very happy life and not play golf again. I’ve never really played the game of golf for monetary reasons. I play for the love of the game, and I want to play against the best in the world. I’ve always been interested in history and legacy, and right now the PGA Tour has that.”
Well, back in December, Rahm jumped ship and joined LIV, becoming the latest high-profile golfer to do so. Reports indicate he received more than half of his $350 million upfront, making him a very rich man..instantly.
It also helped Rahm's status as one of the richest athletes on the globe. Via Forbes, the Spaniard went from 28th in 2023 to No. 2 in 2024, sitting behind only Cristiano Ronaldo.
Forbes' estimations indicate Jon Rahm made around $218 million over the last year, the highest amount ever for a golfer.
How has Jon Rahm done with LIV?
Rahm has been the epitome of consistency since joining the Saudi-backed league. He's finished in the top 10 in all seven events, including third-place finishes in Adelaide and Mayakoba. He's earned $6.6 million from the tournaments thus far with LIV.
The 2023 Masters winner isn't exactly playing as well in Majors, though. He was 45th in his title defense at Augusta and just missed the cut at the PGA Championship over the weekend.
Despite his struggles this year in Majors, Rahm is still the No. 7 ranked golfer in the world. There was quite a bit of criticism coming Rahm's way after the Forbes announcement because fans weren't exactly understanding of him making so much money when he's not performing on the golf course. And to be brutally honest, they have a point.
But, LIV Golf is about money and he brings in revenue. On the other hand, you can look at his early success on that tour and applaud Rahm but if he's not getting it done in the Majors, then it doesn't mean much.
The good thing is Rahm has a couple of tournaments left to redeem himself: The US Open and The Open Championship.
In terms of other golfers, Rory McIlroy ranked 19th on the list with $80.1 million in total earnings for the year, while Tiger Woods was 23rd at $67.2 million. Scottie Scheffler was also 29th with $59.2 million.
Jon Rahm isn't back in action until early June at the LIV Golf Houston tournament, which is just before the US Open begins.
There's still talk of a merger between the PGA and LIV, which Rahm supports. That's despite being suspended by the PGA:
“I’m still a PGA Tour member, whether suspended or not,” Rahm said last Tuesday. “I still want to support the PGA Tour and I think that’s an important distinction to make. I don’t feel like I’m on the other side. I’m just not playing there.”
Interesting opinion, to say the least.
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