Jon Rahm explains why he's staying put amid LIV Golf defections: 'My heart is with the PGA Tour'

Author Photo
(Getty Images)

Jon Rahm's heart is with the PGA Tour.

Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson and others have weighed in on the existence of the LIV Golf Series leading up to the 2022 U.S. Open, but no golfer has had quite the defense of the PGA Tour as Rahm had on Tuesday.

While some have offered takedowns of the LIV Golf Series and the PGA Tour defectors, including PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, Rahm, the 2021 U.S. Open winner, instead explained why he's sticking with the PGA Tour and why it matters so much to him:

MORE: Rory McIlroy 'disappointed' with Phil Mickelson for jump to LIV Golf

 Rahm's full answer:

I do see the appeal that other people see towards the LIV Golf. I do see some of the — how do I put this delicately — points or arguments they can make, towards why they prefer it. To be honest, part of the format is not really appealing to me. Shotgun, three days is not a golf tournament, no cut. It's that simple. I want to play against the best in the world in a format that's been going on for hundreds of years. That's what I wanna see.

Yeah, money is great, but when (my wife) Kelly and I, this first thing happened, we started talking about it and we're like, 'Would our lifestyle change if we got $400 million?' No. It would not change one bit. Truth be told, I could retire right now and I could live a very happy life and not play golf again. I've never really played the game of golf for monetary reasons. I play for the love of the game, and I want to play against the best in the world.

I have always been interested in history and legacy, and right now the PGA Tour has that. There's a meaning when you win the Memorial Championship. There's a meaning when you win Arnold Palmer's event at Bay Hill. There's a meaning when you win LA, Torrey, some of these historic venues. That to me matters a lot. After winning this past U.S. Open, only me and Tiger have won at Torrey Pines. Making putts on 18 — that's a memory that I'm gonna have forever that not many people can say.

My heart is with the PGA Tour. That's all I can say. It's not my business or my character to judge anybody who thinks otherwise. And for a lot of people, I'm not gonna lie, those next three, four years are worth, basically, their retirement plan. It's a very nice compensation until they retire and sail off into the sunset.

Many high-profile golfers have made the jump to the Saudi-backed golf tour for big money, much to the chagrin of Monahan and some of the PGA Tour's best. Some have criticized the upstart league as the Saudi government's way of rehabbing its image after years of alleged human rights violations.

Those players who have made their way to LIV Golf can still participate in major events, which are run by golf governing bodies, not the PGA Tour, hence Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and other LIV golfers making appearances at The Country Club this week.

Rahm tees off alongside Collin Morikawa and James Piot at 7:18 a.m. ET on Thursday.

Author(s)
Joe Rivera Photo

Joe Rivera is a senior content producer at The Sporting News and teaches Multimedia Sports Reporting at his alma mater, Rutgers University.