STERLING, Va. — On a crisp Tuesday at Trump National Golf Club Washington, D.C., just days before the LIV Golf Virginia event tees off, two-time major champion Jon Rahm addressed the elephant in the room: the Saudi Public Investment Fund’s (PIF) decision to end its lavish backing of LIV Golf after the 2026 season.
Rahm, speaking alongside teammate Tyrrell Hatton following LIV CEO Scott O’Neil’s media session, projected calm resolve. While the league scrambles for new investors, the Spaniard emphasized his contractual security and commitment to playing golf.
“As of right now I have several years on my contract left, and I’m pretty sure they did a pretty good job when they drafted that, so I don’t see many ways out,” said Rahm, who attended the F1 Miami Grand Prix over the weekend. Both he and Hatton declined to speculate on long-term futures, underscoring that their deals extend well beyond this year.
A Surprise, But Not a Shock
The funding shift — PIF has poured roughly $5 billion into LIV since 2022, funding massive signing bonuses and $30 million purses — came as a surprise to players despite earlier rumors. Rahm assumed PIF funding was locked in for many years.
“I would say, like everybody, surprised, obviously unexpected. We did hear the news that there would be funding through for many years, so unexpected,” said Rahm.
Earlier in the year, when speculation first swirled, Rahm tuned out the noise. “Until the people in charge told me if the rumors were valid or not, it didn’t make sense for me to think about it or to waste time thinking about it,” he had said. Now, with concrete news, his focus remains forward.
He added, “We want to be here. It’s been a lot of fun. I want to keep competing. I want to keep sharing some time with them.
“But only time will tell. Scott and his team have a lot of hard work to do, but obviously they’re experienced in the area, and that’s why they’ve been chosen to take this role.”
Resolving the DP World Tour Standoff
In a separate positive development for his playing options, Rahm announced he has settled his long-running financial dispute with the DP World Tour (formerly European Tour). The standoff, involving unpaid fines for conflicting events, had jeopardized his Ryder Cup eligibility.
“There is no longer a standoff. We were able to reach an agreement. There were some concessions on both sides, and I offered some, they extended an olive branch,” Rahm explained. “So that will not be a stress anymore.”
He plans to play select DP World Tour events this fall, including the Spanish Open (barring family commitments—he and wife Kelley are expecting their fourth child), and potentially the Scottish Open ahead of the British Open. This gives him a potential pathway for 2027 competition regardless of LIV’s trajectory.
LIV’s Pitch for Survival
O’Neil, speaking earlier in the tennis building at Trump National, pitched optimism. He highlighted sponsorships (including several PIF-linked ones still visible), ticket sales, TV deals, and the league’s global footprint as assets for attracting new capital. LIV plans to shop its 13 franchises to investors, with players attached.
Rahm acknowledged potential adjustments: “I do believe that for the business plan to change, whatever they’re coming up with, there will need to be some concessions on (players’) part.”
O’Neil was candid on PIF’s post-2026 commitments: “I don’t even know how to think about answering.”
Bigger Picture for Golf
The story at Trump National this week blends high-stakes golf with high-stakes business. President Donald Trump, whose property hosts the event (May 7-10), has publicly called for unity, envisioning stars like Rahm facing off against PGA Tour leaders such as Scottie Scheffler.
For Rahm, the immediate priority is clear: prepare for Virginia and keep swinging. In a sport often defined by individual resilience, the two-time major winner (2021 U.S. Open, 2023 Masters) is treating uncertainty as just another hazard to navigate.
“It’s definitely extra noise, there’s no denying it, right? But I think we deal with it as athletes honestly,” said Rahm.
“I think it’s part of the job a lot of times, and sometimes that extra noise is internal for something that may be happening family-wise that’s not public, which is much worse than, I would say, this.”
“At the end of the day, we practice enough so once you get in competition mode, it doesn’t matter. It might be a worry before or after, but it shouldn’t be once you get to that first tee. We’ve said a few times, when it’s so uncertain and so out of our control, there’s really nothing to think about.”
As LIV Virginia approaches on the banks of the Potomac, all eyes will be on whether Rahm and his Legion XIII teammates can deliver on the course while the league charts its uncertain path off it.
