Jon Rahm has decided to leave LIV Golf after concluding that the conditions presented for the new version of the breakaway tour are not acceptable to him. The decision comes at a turbulent time for LIV Golf, which is currently navigating Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in the United States following the withdrawal of financial backing from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund at the close of the most recent season. The sovereign wealth fund had poured roughly $5 billion (about £3.7 billion) into the venture over a four‑year period.
While several players, most notably Sergio García, succeeded in persuading the court to lift the automatic stay that bound them to their LIV contracts – thereby freeing them to explore other playing opportunities – Rahm was not granted a comparable exit route. The Spaniard remains one of the two marquee names still attached to LIV, alongside Bryson DeChambeau, and is believed to be owed as much as $150 million (approximately £113 million) for the balance of the agreement he signed nearly three years ago.
During a recent bankruptcy hearing, attorney John Beck told the judge that Rahm had conducted an independent review of the proposed "LIV 2.0" terms and found them unsatisfactory, stating that he would not participate in the restructured series. The Athletic has reported that Rahm and the league are now negotiating a separation agreement that is expected to be finalized by October 15.
At 31, Rahm 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 competing in events that conflicted with the tour's schedule. That settlement secured him conditional releases for the 2026 season and restored his eligibility for the Ryder Cup. Earlier, Rahm turned down the PGA Tour's specially designed Returning Member Program, which was offered to him, DeChambeau, Cameron Smith and Brooks Koepka.
Koepka was the sole player to accept the invitation. By refusing the program, Rahm would face an automatic one‑year suspension before he could re‑join the PGA Tour, meaning he would be barred from competing on that circuit until at least late August of the following year.
The next iteration of LIV, branded LIV 2.0, received a major boost this week when it reportedly secured a potential $300 million investment from BC Partners Credit. The infusion of capital raises the likelihood that the league will continue operating through 2027 and beyond. In addition, LIV has obtained an extension to negotiate terms with its players, now running until October 25. Sky Sports News notes that no player is contractually obligated to remain with LIV, even if they previously signed multi‑year deals.
Ted Goldthorpe, head of BC Partners Credit – a firm that finances mid‑market companies – said in a statement that the goal is to help LIV Golf emerge from restructuring on a solid financial footing and with renewed momentum heading into the 2027 season. Under the new structure, players would become equity owners of the league and its individual teams.
LIV CEO Scott O'Neil echoed this vision, emphasizing a deep belief in the league's future and the chance to build something distinctive together with the players. Other notable departures from LIV have included Brooks Koepka and fellow American Patrick Reed. Reed announced his exit in January with the intention of returning to the PGA Tour. Because Reed has not captured a major championship or the Players Championship since 2022 – his most recent major being the 2018 Masters – he was not offered the same reinstatement deal as Koepka and will be barred from PGA Tour competition until August 2026, a full year after his final LIV appearance.
Reed is slated to make a permanent comeback to the U.S. circuit in 2027. Since leaving LIV, Reed has competed on the DP World Tour, enjoying a strong season that featured two victories and six top‑ten finishes, which propelled him to the top of the Race to Dubai leaderboard with five events still to play. The future actions of DeChambeau and Smith remain uncertain, while García is weighing his options after a court hearing in New York granted him a "deal" that would allow his contract to be terminated.
The former Masters champion has not ruled out a return to LIV 2.0, but his primary objective is to be part of the 2024 Ryder Cup in Ireland, either as a player or as a vice‑captain, and rejoining the DP World Tour could facilitate that ambition. García said, "Everything is an option. That doesn't mean I will definitely stay with LIV, but settling the LIV 1.0 matter now avoids potential repercussions related to that contract.
I love the Ryder Cup and want to give myself the best chance of making the team." García had resigned his DP World Tour membership in 2023 after being penalised for playing in LIV events that conflicted with the tour's schedule. He later paid about £750,000 in fines in an unsuccessful attempt to qualify for the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black last year, ultimately losing his tour card after failing to meet the minimum event requirement.
Speaking in Spain this week, Reed argued that former LIV players should earn their way back onto other circuits, stating, "There are pathways, whether it's the DP World Tour or the PGA Tour. The only way you should get back is by going out there and letting the clubs do the talking." Rory McIlroy, commenting in August, warned that the road back for LIV defectors could be "tough," adding that they are unlikely to be welcomed back immediately and that any future deal would probably be less favorable than the one Brooks Koepka received. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler echoed similar sentiments, noting that the highest‑level LIV players would add value to the PGA Tour and that he looks forward to competing against the best in the world.
Overall, the landscape of professional golf continues to evolve as players navigate legal battles, financial negotiations, and the desire to compete in prestigious events such as the Ryder Cup. Rahm's departure from LIV Golf underscores the complex interplay between contractual obligations, personal ambition, and the shifting economics of the sport.