Jon Rahm has announced that he will walk away from LIV Golf after judging the conditions proposed for the league's relaunch to be unacceptable. The decision comes as the breakaway tour is navigating Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in the United States, a situation triggered when Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund pulled its financial backing at the close of the season. The fund had poured roughly $5 billion (about £3.7 billion) into the venture over a four‑year span, hoping to reshape professional golf with a new format and lucrative prize pools.
During the bankruptcy process, several players, most notably Sergio Garcia, successfully petitioned the court to lift the automatic stay that had been placed on their contracts. This legal maneuver effectively freed those players to explore alternative playing opportunities for the upcoming season. Rahm, however, was not granted the same relief, leaving him bound to the existing agreement unless a new settlement could be reached.
The Spanish star is one of the two marquee names still attached to LIV Golf, the other being the power‑hitter Bryson DeChambeau. According to court filings, Rahm may be owed as much as $150 million (approximately £113 million) for the balance of the contract he signed nearly three years ago. That figure underscores the high stakes involved for both the player and the financially strained league. In a recent bankruptcy hearing, Rahm's attorney John Beck stated, "Mr Rahm has independently reviewed the proposed terms of LIV 2.0 and has determined that those terms are unacceptable to him, and he will not be participating going forward in LIV 2.0." The comment made clear that the decision was driven by the player's own assessment of the new deal, rather than external pressure.
The Athletic has reported that Rahm and the league are currently negotiating a separation agreement, with both sides hoping to finalize the paperwork by October 15. The timeline suggests that the parties are working quickly to avoid further legal entanglements and to allow Rahm to move on to other playing options. Adding a personal dimension to the story, Rahm withdrew from this week’s Open de España in Madrid to stay home with his wife, Kelley, who is pregnant with their fourth child. The family‑first decision highlighted the player's desire to balance his professional commitments with his growing family responsibilities.
While Rahm is stepping away from LIV Golf, he has already begun laying the groundwork for a possible return to the traditional tours. In May, he settled a dispute with the DP World Tour, paying roughly £2.21 million in fines for having participated in events that conflicted with the tour’s schedule.
That settlement secured conditional releases for the 2026 season and restored his eligibility for the Ryder Cup, a prestigious team competition that he has previously helped the United States win. Earlier in the year, the PGA Tour extended a special reinstatement offer to Rahm through a newly created Returning Member Program. The program was also offered to fellow former LIV players Cameron Smith, Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka.
Of those, only Koepka accepted the invitation, while Rahm declined, opting instead to explore other routes back to the PGA Tour. Because he turned down the PGA Tour’s reinstatement pathway, Rahm now faces a mandatory one‑year suspension before he can re‑join the PGA Tour roster.
In practical terms, this means he would be ineligible to compete on the PGA Tour until at least late August of the following year, assuming he meets all other reinstatement criteria. The broader context of Rahm’s departure reflects the turmoil that LIV Golf has experienced since its inception. The league launched in 2022 with the backing of the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, promising massive prize money and a new tournament format designed to attract the world’s top talent.
However, the withdrawal of the Public Investment Fund’s support, combined with legal challenges from the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, has placed the organization on uncertain footing. For fans who wish to follow the ongoing developments, the Open de España will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Golf starting at 1 p.m.
on Thursday, with additional coverage on Sky Sports Main Event at 3 p.m. Viewers can also explore Sky Sports' latest subscription deals or stream the event without a contract, ensuring that the tournament remains accessible despite the off‑course drama. In summary, Jon Rahm’s decision to exit LIV Golf underscores both the financial strain on the breakaway league and the player's own assessment of his professional future. With a potential separation agreement on the horizon, a pending suspension from the PGA Tour, and a growing family to consider, Rahm is navigating a complex set of choices that will shape the next chapter of his illustrious career.