There appear to be three distinct categories for exorbitant wealth in the world these days: Monopoly money, F*ck You money, and PIF money. The latter is the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, and that seemingly bottomless pit of cash feels like the most ridiculous embarrassment of riches of them all. Because they can allegedly afford to fork over as much as $600 MILLION for a professional golfer like Jon Rahm.
It’s being reported by The Wall Street Journal that Rahm is bolting the PGA Tour in favor of LIV Golf, which only adds more murkiness to the ongoing PGA Tour-PIF alliance talks and how the future of the sport is going to look.
Jon Rahm is set to earn at least 6x more in his deal with LIV Golf than he's earned in his entire career on the PGA Tour.https://t.co/nAFSfGXBXN pic.twitter.com/ohA57n7qvF
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) December 7, 2023
Rahm has been an outspoken opponent of LIV on principle, but this is the latest proof that everyone has a price. Well, except for Tiger Woods. He’s already built his own empire, accomplished all he’s needed to accomplish, and now we’ll be happy to see Tiger for a tournament per month.
For Rahm, it’s a little more complicated. The type of dough he stands to make is, like, enough to start his own little nation with. Isle of Rahm sounds kinda dope.
I know there’s a lot of problematic implications about taking PIF money. Given Saudi Arabia’s unsavory human rights record and status as the globe’s largest exporter of oil, many have criticized LIV players as taking “blood money” as the Saudis try to “sportswash” their misdeeds. At this point, however, it seems inevitable that the PGA Tour and PIF will reach an agreement by their December 31 deadline to forge a new future ahead for the game of golf.
Although the current plan is to keep the PGA Tour and LIV Golf separate, the prospective New Year’s Eve accord could combine the tours. We just don’t know. With all that uncertainty and a grand unification being the most likely outcome, I feel like Rahm is just making a sort of preemptive move that would manifest itself in a similar fashion in a matter of months or, at most, a couple of years.
When someone offers you $600 million to play golf, how do you turn away? You can see Rahm’s earnings on the PGA Tour to date. It’s sad and cynicism-inducing in some ways, yet this type of money always talks. Nevertheless, the big move by Rahm, the defending Masters champion and U.S. Open winner, is a shock to the entire system and a momentous move that could be the catalyst for even more PGA stars joining LIV.
Jon Rahm joining LIV even though the PGA Tour gave him more porta-potties pic.twitter.com/VFHB280M8M
— Ryan (@ryan_rcr) December 7, 2023
If Jon Rahm was to stay on the PGA Tour and win every tournament he plays in for multiple years in a row, he'd still make less per year than his reported LIV contract will be worth per/yr. This doesn't even factor the added team win and other BS perks they will throw on top.
— Martin McSports (@MartinMcSports) December 7, 2023
This Jon Rahm story is wild.
He's gonna snag half-a-bill to move over to the LIV despite the impending merger. And I use "impending" loosely. Why would they offer him $500-million if a merger is certain? Maybe it's not. Many will criticize Rahm for jumping but IT'S HALF A BILL!!— Vic Lombardi (@VicLombardi) December 7, 2023
a wise man once said STRAIGHT CASH, HOMIE! Jon Rahm getting north of *$500 million* from LIV is mind bottling. that’s more than the ENTIRE 2023 pga tour prize pool 🤯 no one is saying no to that amount of cash. not you, not me, nobody. golf’s transfer portal is out of control!
— Emerson Lotzia, Jr. (@EmersonLotzia) December 7, 2023
If Jon Rahm stays on the PGA Tour for the 2024 season, he’s locked up the PIP before New Year’s Eve 2023.
— Michael Collins (@ESPNCaddie) December 7, 2023
Monahan is supposed to be meeting with the LIV consortium this week to discuss the "merger" and the Rahm rumors ignite. Curious
— Nelson Adcock (@NelsonAdcock) December 7, 2023
I remember the first wave of golfers went and everyone was furious but also said it wouldn’t last
Now they got Rahm? Damn! https://t.co/QcdAzuM6N8
— kyle (@Ky1eLong) December 7, 2023
Last month, @KylePorterCBS and I talked about how many majors the current best players in golf would finish their career with.
We both took the over 3.5 on Jon Rahm.
Does a move to LIV change how you feel about his career trajectory? pic.twitter.com/tSPfKEKOkk
— Andy Lack (@adplacksports) December 7, 2023
To much talking about where Jon Rahm is going to play next year. One thing I am sure that he is one of the best players ever played the game of golf and I will keep following his game where ever he is going to play.
— Pablo Larrazabal (@plarrazabal) December 7, 2023
I think Jon Rahm is taking a half-billion dollars from the Saudis because he figures that soon enough he’ll be able to play golf whenever and wherever and on whatever tour he wants.
— Jason Logan (@jasonSCOREGolf) December 7, 2023
Jon Rahm:
Feb ‘22 pledges his “fealty” (so good) to PGAT
July ‘22 “never played for monetary reasons”
Aug ‘23 complains about lack of porta potties
Nov ‘23 bails on TGL
Nov ‘23 get $9M for third in PIP
Dec ‘23 reportedly to LIV for ~$500M & personal porta potty/hole*
— Chris Murphy (@CS_Murph) December 7, 2023
