Jon Rahm had his PGA Tour member status suspended the moment he signed with the rival LIV Golf League for upwards of $600 million.
Yet, ahead of the PGA Championship at Valhalla, the two-time major winner pushed back on the notion that he's no longer affiliated with the PGA Tour. Rahm was asked about his perspective on the PGA Tour policy board chaos amid slow negotiations with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), as a member of the “other side.”
“You guys keep saying the other side but I’m still a PGA Tour member, whether suspended or not,” Rahm said at Valhalla Golf Club. “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.”
“I think it's important because I'm a PGA Tour member,” he continued. “I've said however I can: I would like to support it, right? So even though I'm playing full-time on LIV Golf, like I've said many times, had I been allowed, I would have played extra events earlier in the year. And if allowed in the future and not conflicting with my schedule I would play in the future.
“The PGA Tour has given me so much. … I'm not going against it.”
In March, Rahm admitted it “hasn't” been easy missing premier tournaments on the PGA Tour.
“I think there’s a way of coexisting,” Rahm said before the Players Championship. “I just want to be able to see the best in the world compete against the best in the world, whatever that looks like. … I hope I get to tee it up at The Players again.”
The 2023 Masters champ finished a disappointing T45 (+9) at Augusta National in April.