While those associated with LIV Golf appear determined to keep going beyond this season, it does seem that the days of the league as we know it are numbered.
There have to be serious doubts over whether the likes of Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau will stay with LIV Golf after this year.
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While Rahm’s deal does not expire for some time yet, there is surely no chance that the Spaniard has not at least looked into what it would take to leave LIV after this season, even if his preference is to stay.
LIV is now trying to nail down its identity as the league looks to attract the kind of investment that will allow it to continue once the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia have walked away.
What Jon Rahm said about playing global events this week ahead of LIV Golf Andalucia
Of course, LIV is currently holding an event in Andalucia at the iconic Valderrama. And ahead of this week’s tournament, Rahm was asked about the league’s contribution to the world of golf over the span of its existence.
He went on to highlight the importance of big name players travelling the globe to boost the profile of a number of tournaments.
“Well, there are a couple of things, right? First, especially in certain countries, if they have a national team, the public is always going to follow a team. They are always going to have that team to follow. What we saw in Australia and South Africa, even a bit in England, was very beautiful,” he said.
“And, well, those are parts of the world where they want to have good golf, which they might not have had the luck to experience, and the fact of having good players and a team to follow has worked out very well for them and made that week very emotional for them and for everyone, and very beautiful.
“What I would highlight the most about the transition to LIV, in general, is the hunger there is for golf around the world.
“The European Tour does play all over the planet, but there is work that can be done there so that the best players in the world play all over the world, like Formula 1 has done, like tennis does. It’s such a beautiful sport that I wish there were more bigger tournaments in Australia, South Africa, Hong Kong, China, Japan.
“I understand it’s difficult to travel more, but it’s part of the sport where spectators have a massive hunger to see good players, or the best players, or world-class players, which they might not have had until now.
“I do have to give some credit to Rory, because in recent years you do see him traveling to Australia, traveling to India, traveling to tournaments where he might not have played before or not in many years, and the presence of someone like him there can make a very good impact for the tournament and for the local golf scene in whichever country he goes to.”
Jon Rahm’s answer would be much more convincing had he not had such a public row with the DP World Tour
Firstly, it must be noted that LIV bizarrely decided to cut off Rahm’s answer just as he was about to praise Rory McIlroy when they broadcast the comments during Thursday’s opening round.
But it is also a real shame to hear Rahm’s comments. Certainly, many would love to believe that playing across the world means a lot to him.
However, his answer surely cannot be taken seriously when you consider that he has been involved in a rift with the DP World Tour over playing in six of their events each year.
Rahm did not sign up to the arrangement that a number of his LIV colleagues agreed to. He dug his heels in for some time. Funnily enough, a deal was struck shortly after it became apparent that big changes were coming to LIV.
As Rahm himself notes, the DP World Tour has been travelling around the world a lot longer than LIV have. And yet, he was prepared to enter into a row with those at Wentworth rather than show even greater support for their events.
Of course, Rahm is far from the only player to make himself look slightly foolish with comments he has made in recent years. Plenty have gone back on their word and had to try and negotiate their way out of a sticky situation.
But from the outside, Rahm seemed to behave extremely poorly when the DP World Tour requested that he play in six of their events each year.
That would have been the time for Rahm to prove just how much playing across the world really means to him.
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