Jon Rahm has been told that he has wasted some of the prime years of his career and should have been able to see LIV Golf’s decline coming before he decided to leave the PGA Tour.
Rahm’s future is going to be one of the most interesting storylines to follow over the coming months. Unlike most of the superstar names who signed with LIV Golf, the Spaniard only joined ahead of the 2024 season.
So while Bryson DeChambeau’s deal expires at the end of the season, Rahm looks set to be under contract for some time longer.
Critics of Jon Rahm’s move to LIV Golf vindicated
Meanwhile, there is a huge question mark over what happens next for LIV Golf. The league is seeking new investment.
Whatever happens next, it does appear that the days of LIV as we know it are numbered.
It has the potential to be a turning point for Rahm in a positive way, particularly if he gets the opportunity to leave LIV in the coming months.
Rahm registered his first top five finish in a major since joining LIV at last month’s PGA Championship. It has been disappointing to see given that he was potentially the best player in the world when he made the jump.
And speaking on Fried Egg Golf, writer Jaime Diaz suggested that all of those who felt disappointed when he left for LIV Golf have been completely vindicated.
“He played great at the PGA. I thought that was impressive, man. He was driving so aggressively and so consistently. That was a weapon. And you start realising, this guy’s got a lot of firepower, a lot of tools, and he’s a great player. However, he made a decision that had real consequences. And I hope he overcomes the toll that took. But part of me feels like, man, you made a big mistake. And you should have seen that coming,” he said.
“I feel it’s almost like, this sounds so crazy, going into Iran, it’s like, didn’t you see that coming? They’re going to close the Strait of Hormuz. Didn’t you see that coming, you’re not gonna be able to play with the best players, and you’re gonna lose your edge. And also, you did something that was really dangerously harmful to the tour. The tour survived, but, man, it was touch and go there, because the other guys could have followed at that moment. And that could have been a breaking point. That’s a hard thing to forget.
“I root for his talent. I root for him, having a good career. But I also say, what’s happened to him was predictable. He should have seen it coming, and shouldn’t have done it. Now, I’m sounding judgemental there, and that’s not hindsight. I felt it at the time. I felt like this is a mistake. You’re too good a player. You talk about playing for history. How is this playing for history? Now he’s back to playing for history. He had a cessation there that he’ll never get back. That’s a gap in his life, a gap in his career. If he comes out with the right attitude, he can regain what he has. But those are lost years.”
Jon Rahm still has time to rediscover his best form in the future
Rahm is understandably keeping his cards close to his chest while he waits to see what the future holds for LIV.
You would imagine that the league’s biggest names will have a big say in shaping its future. But Rahm would obviously be wise to not shut the door on the idea of trying to return to the PGA Tour in the near future.
Rahm has distanced himself from the push to seal fresh investment. Meanwhile, he has not publicly committed his future to staying on LIV.
And Diaz suggested that there may be hope for Rahm to get back to his very best in the future.
“I think he’s handled it very well recently. He wasn’t handling it too well. But he’s handled it very well as far as there was a certain humility, just a nice kind of restraint to the way that he answered questions at the PGA,” he said.
“An evenness, an equanimity, just kind of a wisdom, ‘Okay, I went through this, I made a mistake. I want to pick up my life and my career, and without being angry about it or arrogant about it, or defiant about it’. I think that was not just good to hear. I think it was good for him.”
There will be plenty of golf fans who agree with Diaz’s view on Rahm’s future. While it is impossible to say how he would have performed had he stayed on the PGA Tour, it certainly does not appear that he has benefited on the course from his decision.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
