LIV Golf just made a huge $600 splash for Jon Rahm, the 2021 US Open and 2023 Masters winner. Now, the big Spaniard is reportedly recruiting other PGA Tours players to join him as LIV and the PGA approach a deadline to finalize their proposed merger.

“Sources told ESPN that LIV Golf is recruiting other PGA Tour players to join Rahm's new team; he declined to name whom they might be,” ESPN Senior Writer Mark Schlabach reported on Thursday.

This comes as the two sides near the Dec. 31 deadline to make their framework agreement — agreed to on June 6 — official. PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan “called the date a ‘firm deadline’ last week,” according to Schlabach.

The interesting thing here is that the initial deal called for a moratorium on either side poaching golfers from the other, “but it was removed after the U.S. Department of Justice's Antitrust Division raised concerns that it restricted competition.”

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Now, with this Liv Golf deal for Jon Rahm and the potential for Rahm to bring other big-name stars with him for huge paydays, it “would seem to give the Saudis leverage in negotiations.”

For his part, Jon Rahm says he just wants to see the game of golf in a better spot in the future (after he took his massive payday).

“I mean, a lot has happened in the game of golf and we've seen some steps towards the game coming together, and hopefully we can keep making those choices and those actions towards ending up in a better spot, which is mainly my goal as a golfer,” Rahm said.