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Jon Rahm remains optimistic that professional golf can reach an even “higher level” after years of turmoil, and on Tuesday he pointed to at least two areas he hopes could clear up in the meantime.
Rahm is the highest-profile player to move to LIV Golf when he moves in the winter of 2023 – less than six months after the announcement of a tentative agreement between the PGA Tour and the Saudi Public Investment Fund. But as he begins his 2025 campaign at the DP World Tour Dubai Desert Classic this week, there remains little movement, at least publicly, on that front.
Rahm admitted that he thought “at this point things will be further advanced.”
“I think a lot of us want some sort of solution to come together and get the best possible product for the consumer, which I think we’re still in a position to do,” he told reporters in Dubai on Tuesday. “But I think we’re living in a golden era for golf right now where the possibilities are endless. The Grand Tour in Europe and around the world and the big and massive tour, the PGA Tour. And you have another big product with LIV, and now you’re even adding TGL. When it comes to golf, the options are here.
“I think with the right minds together, you can end up with a product – and I’ve been saying this all along – that could put golf on a different level in the world of sports. I still hope it can happen.”
With LIV abandoning his bid for world ranking points, Rahm dropped to 31st in the world. While it doesn’t affect him as much as others because of his major exemptions for his 2023 Masters win, Rahm said it was “unfair” that the league wasn’t getting points – despite admitting he knew it was a distinct possibility before than he joined – and has no direct path to the biggest events in the game.
“At this point, not giving LIV the world points and credibility it deserves, I think is wrong,” Rahm said. “I understand that we all made a decision and it’s not as easy as it sounds, but to say that LIV players don’t deserve some places in the big championships I think is wrong and I hope it evolves into what it should be.” … There should be a way to qualify. And the points in the world rankings, (they) have to come up with something because it’s not fair for anybody in that sense.”
There remains the question of the European Ryder Cup team.
Rahm maintained his qualification for this year’s team by meeting the minimum tournament requirements on the DP World Tour. He is currently appealing the fines imposed on him for playing in the LIV tournament, and said on Tuesday that he hoped the appeal would not be heard until after the Ryder Cup in September.
“I don’t think it would be good for anybody,” Rahm said of the earlier hearing. “But my plan is to be at Betpage.”
Rahm is a three-time winner in Dubai, but this is the first time he is competing in the Dubai Desert Classic, the first Rolex Series event of the year that has been headlined by the Spaniard, Rory McIlroy, Victor Hovland and a host of potential European Ryder Cuppers.
Rahm’s LIV season doesn’t start until February 6 in Saudi Arabia.
