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Solely Jon Rahm can say whether or not he offered his soul. His rules and his status, nevertheless, are actually owned by the Saudis.
The 2-time main champion and once-ardent defender of the PGA Tour grew to become the most important title to defect to LIV Golf on Thursday, deciding the custom and problem of the Tour weren’t so vital to him, in any case. Who must play on programs the place Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods made their mark when you possibly can stage glorified exhibitions with the Cleeks and the HyFlyers!
As long as the value is true, that’s.
All his discuss “fealty” to the PGA Tour, of eager to play in opposition to the very best on this planet in tournaments steeped in historical past, and Rahm turned out to be no higher than his buddies Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia. As soon as the determine the Saudis had been dangling bought excessive sufficient, Rahm was fast to desert all he’d as soon as stood for.
As for the blood on the fingers of his new employers that’s now staining his personal, properly, all these zeroes make it simpler to miss. If nothing else, he can use certainly one of his stacks of money to wipe it off.
In pictures: Jon Rahm by the years
The injury to Rahm’s status, and the Tour he supposedly liked a lot, can by no means be undone.
Jon Rahm has formally joined LIV Golf.
Very similar to Rory McIlroy, Rahm had staked out a place because the conscience of golf, somebody who noticed LIV for the shameless cash seize it’s and needed no a part of it. He mentioned as a lot. Many, many, many instances.
“I already make an incredible residing doing what I do. I’m extraordinarily grateful, and that every one occurred due to the platform the PGA Tour supplied me,” Rahm mentioned in July. “So far as I’m involved, they’ve completed sufficient for me, and their focus must be on enhancing the PGA Tour and the sport of golf for the longer term generations.”
Jon Rahm of Spain raises their cap as they acknowledge the gang after placing on the 18th inexperienced on Day Three of The 151st Open at Royal Liverpool Golf Membership on July 22, 2023 in Hoylake, England. (Picture by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Photographs)
As a substitute, he’s made it tougher for the Tour to exist in its present kind. This will likely be a setback for no matter détente PGA Tour overlords thought they’d brokered by their settlement with LIV earlier this yr, and there’s no telling the way it will get resolved. Odds are fairly good the oldsters with an countless provide of cash will finally get their manner, nevertheless, and the giddiness of LIV chief working officer Lawrence Burian on Thursday night time did nothing to contradict that.
“LIV Golf is right here to remain,” he mentioned. “The addition of Jon reemphasizes that our league isn’t slowing down.”
Which might make the sport a shell of what it as soon as was.
As soon as upon a time, Rahm didn’t take into account LIV to be “actual” golf. Shotgun begins and three-day tournaments? You would possibly as properly be placing it by a clown’s mouth. And whereas he gained at The Memorial and Torrey Pines and Augusta Nationwide, the very best LIV may do for custom was Doral.
Rahm wasn’t the one one who noticed LIV for the charade it was. Even with fan favorites Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka on board, no main broadcaster had curiosity in LIV. It lastly discovered a house on the CW, the place its rankings had been so abysmal some stations preempted tournaments for infomercials or reruns.
That wasn’t what Rahm needed for his profession. It wasn’t what he needed for younger gamers. And it definitely wasn’t what he needed for the PGA Tour.
Till the cash modified his thoughts.
“Clearly the previous two years there’s been loads of evolving on the sport of golf, issues have modified loads and so have I,” Rahm mentioned Thursday. “Seeing the expansion of LIV Golf, seeing the evolution of LIV Golf and innovation is one thing that has actually captured my consideration.”
Progress? Innovation? Does Rahm learn about some LIV the remainder of us don’t? The one factor that modified was the amount of cash the Saudis supplied Rahm to be an confederate of their sports activities washing.
“For all these issues that I like about this motion, there’s at all times going to be some issues that aren’t excellent,” Rahm mentioned, “however that’s the scenario in everyone’s life.”
Inform that to Jamal Khashoggi’s household. Or the households of these killed in 9/11.
LIV isn’t only a golf league. It’s a central a part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s scheme to make use of sports activities to cleanse his picture. He figures if he splashes sufficient cash out for sports activities, the world will overlook about his and his nation’s human rights abuses. Just like the marginalization of girls and suppression of the LGBTQ neighborhood.
And his ordering the homicide of Khashoggi, whose physique was then dismembered by a bone noticed.
That’s who Rahm now works for. That’s whose picture Rahm helps make over.
As soon as one of many sport’s good guys, Rahm is now a hypocrite and a sellout. However hey, he’s getting paid. That’s all that issues to him now.
Comply with USA TODAY Sports activities columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.
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