Jon Rahm Reiterates Lack of Interest in LIV Golf but Expects League to Continue

The Spaniard remains close with LIV players Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia.

Jon Rahm was never interested in playing for the LIV Golf League and said he routinely good-naturedly chides his friends Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia about it.

The reigning Masters champion who tied for second at the British Open recently did a podcast with Spanish-language Golf Sin Etiquetas in which he said he never liked the format but believes LIV Golf will not cease.

"I think LIV Golf will continue, from what I understand and have talked about with their players," Rahm said on the podcast. "None of them intend to return, and for that, they left the PGA Tour. They left for a reason."

Rahm’s comments were in Spanish and translated by the Twitter account @Handicap54 and published there.

The four-time winner this year on the PGA Tour has remained close to Mickelson despite the Hall of Famer’s defection to LIV Golf. He also remains close with fellow Spaniard Garcia.

"I laugh when people rumor me with LIV Golf," Rahm said on the podcast. "I never liked the format. And I always have a good time with Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia in the practice rounds of majors.

"Phil respects my decision, and I respect his [choice]," Rahm added. “Mickelson has told me that I have no reason to go play for LIV, and he has told me that multiple times.”

Rahm said if there is a deal between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia—LIV Golf’s backer—he hopes any funds used can enhance the Tour in ways beyond bigger purses.

“With all this capital that can come, we can create a better PGA Tour for everyone,” Rahm said. “So that the week is better, that the gym is better, that there is a recovery area, that the physiotherapists have better conditions, that the food is more consistent and the best, that there is a charter flight for the players (between tournaments.)”

Rahm, who at the Open two weeks ago said he had confidence in PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and said he should be allowed to see the deal through, nonetheless expressed frustration on the podcast with the way it was handled.

“Two minutes before the announcement came out, someone from the PGA Tour contacted me and told me everything,” Rahm said. “I thought it was a joke. And this is what they should have done from the beginning. Instead, they generated division and then decided to come together again.”