Add Jon Rahm to the list of “frustrated” golfers. Rahm, while speaking to the media Tuesday ahead of the 123rd U.S. Open, didn’t hold back his thoughts on the Earth-shattering PGA LIV news.
Jon Rahm’s candid ‘betrayal’ take on PGA Tour LIV Golf deal with U.S. Open on tap
The Spaniard is never afraid to voice his opinion about anything related to golf and did so ahead of the 2023 U.S. Open.
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Jack Milko has been playing golf since he was five years old. He has yet to record a hole-in-one, but he did secure an M.A. in Sports Journalism from St. Bonaventure University.
Rahm, who won the 2023 Masters Tournament, was at home taking care of his two children, making coffee, and snacking on breakfast when the PGA Tour shockingly announced it had partnered with the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF).
His immediate reaction was “betrayal,” as PGA Tour management kept these negotiations under wraps before the bombshell dropped.
“I think the general feeling is that a lot of people feel a bit of betrayal from management,” Rahm admitted.
“I understand why they had to keep it so secret. It’s just not easy as a player that’s been involved, like many others, to wake up one day and see this bombshell. That’s why we’re all in a bit of a state of limbo because we don’t know what’s going on, how much is finalized, and how much they can talk about, either.”
His phone “caught on fire” on the morning of Jun. 6, but he could not answer all of the questions he received.
At one point, he told his wife Kelley that he would throw his phone in a drawer and not touch it because of his frustration and lack of knowledge about the situation.
“It’s a state of uncertainty that we don’t love, but at the end of the day, I’m not a business expert,” Rahm said. “Some of those guys on the board and involved in this area. So I’d like to think they’re going to make a better decision than I would, but I don’t know. We’ll see. There are still too many questions to be answered.”
An infinite amount of questions about this pending deal remain, which have left players such as Rahm asking as many questions as veteran golf reporters.
Despite his frustrations, however, Rahm feels blessed for the opportunities golf has presented him.
“I am in a very high state of privilege in this world,” Rahm said. “I can do what I love for a living. I have a blast every single day, even though I get mad on the golf course every once in a while.”
“It’s an easy way to forget about what’s going on when I look at it that way. I can see where I come from in Spain, especially every time I see my parents—I remember where I came from and where I’m at [today]. To be honest, all those possible issues seem like very small issues compared to other things in the world.”
The last time the U.S. Open came to Southern California, Rahm won it. He birdied the 17th and 18th holes at Torrey Pines in 2021 to win the U.S. Open by a stroke, becoming the first Spaniard to win it.
Even though tons of outside noise clouds this year’s U.S. Open, Rahm feels confident that he can win the tournament for the second time in three years.
Do you think Rahm can pull it off, despite his frustrations? Comment your thoughts below.
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