Tiger Woods addresses rumors about Jon Rahm’s potential £470m LIV deal

Tiger Woods and his contemporaries who are directors have penned a letter to all PGA Tour members to quell the fervent talk about Jon Rahm making a swift move to LIV Golf.

Speculation surrounding Rahm’s move to the breakaway league has grown since re-emerging a few weeks ago. The absence of a denial from Rahm or his team has only fueled suspicions, with figures up to $600m (£470m) being suggested as a signing-on fee.

Amid continuing merger negotiations between the PGA Tour and the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, confusion looms and concerns grow on the fairways.

Woods and the other player directors of the Tour’s policy board sought to assure the uneasy locker room with a memo sent late last Friday. “With the 2024 season looming and amid intense speculation in our sport, we felt the need to address you directly,” they wrote.

“Since Tiger joined the policy board on Aug. 1, the player directors have been doing everything we can to ensure the PGA Tour is best positioned to thrive for decades to come. We have learned a lot, and we are encouraged by progress on multiple fronts,” the memo added.

Rahm’s potential defection would create turmoil

A Dec 31 deadline for a deal exists, though this is expected to be extended. The situation is made even more uncertain due to US investors lining up to invest in the new version of the Tour and the US Congress being ready to investigate any resulting division with a foreign entity.

Rahm’s possible departure would throw all of this into disarray. LIV insiders claim they are not aware of any negotiations with the two-time major champion. However, the silence from Rahm’s camp is certainly intriguing. In February of last year, Rahm pledged allegiance to the PGA at a time when speculation about LIV defection was rife.

“This is my official, my one and only time I’ll talk about this, where I am officially declaring my fealty to the PGA Tour,” Rahm said. “I’m a PAC member, and I have a lot of belief in (commissioner) Jay Monahan and the product that they’re going to give us in the future. There has been a lot of talk and speculation about the Saudi league. It’s just not something I believe is the best for me and my future in golf, and I think the best legacy I can accomplish will be with the PGA Tour.”

Jordan Spieth is assisting Woods on the policy board and has been ready to address the matter. “We really hope that he [Rahm] is continuing with us,” Spieth said. “I know there’s been some guys that have talked to him. I know he’s maybe weighing some decisions, maybe not. I really don’t know, so I don’t want to insult him and say he’s weighing decisions if he already knows he’s not or he is. You know, that’s somewhat out of my control in a way.”

Woods said he would be ‘surprised’ if Rahm joined big names such as Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Cam Smith and Bryson DeChambeau on the renegade circuit. “Hypothetically, would it surprise me? Yes, but there’s so many different things that have happened in the last 48 hours, but also in the last few weeks,” Woods said. “Things have changed and will continue to change.”

Both Woods and Spieth are participating in the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas. After two rounds, Spieth was tied for the lead on nine-under with Scottie Scheffler, while Woods was 10 behind, placed 15th in the 20-man field.

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