Jon Rahm is leaving LIV Golf. His lawyer told a US bankruptcy court that the terms of the restructured league are unacceptable to the two-time major champion. It is a serious blow to a circuit trying to emerge from bankruptcy without the Saudi money that built it.
Jon Rahm is leaving the LIV Golf League, ESPN reported.
His attorney, John Beck, told a hearing at the US Bankruptcy Court of New Jersey on Wednesday, October 7, that Rahm would not take part in the restructured league.
What Was Said in Court
“Mr. Rahm has independently reviewed the proposed terms of LIV 2.0 and has determined that those terms are unacceptable to him, and he will not be participating going forward in LIV 2.0,” Beck said.
He said Rahm and LIV were working to finalise a separation agreement by October 15.
Why It Matters to LIV
LIV Golf is trying to emerge from bankruptcy without funding from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
- The league and related entities filed for Chapter 11 protection on September 8
- It listed assets of between $100 million and $500 million
- It listed liabilities of between $500 million and $1 billion
Rahm, 31, was regarded as essential to its hopes of survival. With Bryson DeChambeau, he is the most accomplished and popular player to have left the PGA Tour for LIV.
What He Did There
- Signed in December 2023 as the reigning Masters champion, on a contract reportedly worth more than $300 million
- Won four LIV tournaments
- Was the season-long individual champion in each of the past three seasons
Where He Might Play
That is not clear.
The PGA Tour’s chief executive, Brian Rolapp, said on September 15 that the tour had no current plans to bring back its Returning Member Program, which would let Rahm, DeChambeau and Cameron Smith return under certain conditions. Brooks Koepka used that route to come back in January.
Rahm is a member of the DP World Tour, having resolved his dispute with the European circuit in May.
The Wider Picture
LIV launched with Saudi backing and split men’s professional golf by signing leading players on very large contracts. The departure of one of its two biggest names, while the league is in bankruptcy court, raises the question of whether it has a future at all.
Image: Jon Rahm at the 2025 Ryder Cup (file photo). Photo: Bryan Berlin / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
