Jon Rahm Pulls Out of Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s Tech-Infused Golf League

TGL has confirmed Rahm’s departure from the Monday night golf league.

Jon Rahm has officially pulled out of TGL, the Monday night simulator golf league started by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy that is set to start in January. 

The 2023 Masters champion was one of the first players to sign on to the league in November of 2022. TGL provided a statement to Sports Illustrated about his departure from the new tech-infused circuit. 

“Jon is one of the most talented players in the game and we will miss him during the inaugural TGL season. We understand that players have to balance a lot of different facets of their professional and personal lives and respect Jon’s choice and wish him well,” a TGL representative said. 

Rahm released his own statement confirming the news on X (formerly Twitter). 

I am sad to confirm that I will not be participating in the first TGL season. While I still think it’s a great opportunity, right now it would require a level of commitment that I can’t offer. Best of luck to everyone envolved and may the best team win!

— Jon Rahm Rodriguez (@JonRahmOfficial) November 2, 2023

Rahm resides in Phoenix, Ariz., while the team-format league will take place in a custom-built stadium in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

According to TGL, an additional player will be announced to fill the 24-player roster soon. 

Rahm was one of the first players to sign on to TGL.  :: Oscar J. Barroso/Europa Press via Getty Images

Rahm, 28, is an 11-time PGA Tour winner, currently ranked No. 3 in the world (No. 4 in the SI World Golf Rankings). The Spaniard was a member of the winning European Ryder Cup team in Rome this September. He threw out the ceremonial first pitch at Game 4 of the World Series on Tuesday while sporting his green jacket. 

When Rahm’s departure from TGL was announced on Thursday, rumors of his interest in LIV Golf again began to swirl. The two-time major champion had shut down those rumors in August on a podcast appearance with Golf Sin Etiquetas in Spanish.

“I laugh when people rumor me with LIV Golf,” he said. “I never liked the format ... Phil respects my decision, and I respect his [choice]. Mickelson has told me that I have no reason to go play for LIV, and he has told me that multiple times.” 

Rahm has also insisted that the big-money contracts LIV has offered its players wouldn’t sway him. At the 2022 U.S. Open at Brookline, Rahm said, “Will our lifestyle change if I got $400 million? No, it will not change one bit.”

This week TGL began announcing team assignments ahead of the league’s 2024 start. Justin Thomas was joined Atlanta Drive GC, while Collin Morikawa was announced as the first member of Los Angeles Golf Club. 

The Boston Common Golf team announced its full roster: Rory McIlroy, Keegan Bradley, Tyrrell Hatton and Adam Scott. 

The TGL player lineup includes Woods, McIlroy, Thomas, Morikawa, Scott, Hatton, Bradley, Rickie Fowler, Matt Fitzpatrick, Justin Rose, Xander Schauffele, Max Homa, Billy Horschel, Tommy Fleetwood, Shane Lowry, Tom Kim, Sahith Theegala, Cameron Young, Patrick Cantlay, Wyndham Clark, Min Woo Lee, Kevin Kisner and Lucas Glover.