Jon Rahm has agreed to separate from LIV Golf and relinquish the remaining compensation from his contract, estimated at about $100 million, according to ESPN, which cited court records. The agreement also returns Rahm’s name, image and likeness rights to him.
The two-time major champion joined LIV nearly three years ago, after previously speaking against the league. His signing was reported at the time to involve a deal worth between $300 million and $600 million. The source does not specify the exact terms or total value of his contract.
Rahm’s departure follows a recent bankruptcy hearing at which his attorneys said he would not take part in a proposed next phase of the league, referred to as “LIV 2.0.” They described its terms as unacceptable, according to the report. The separation agreement formalizes his exit, while the league’s future remains uncertain.
LIV filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in New Jersey last month. The report estimates the league spent between $5 billion and $8 billion from 2021 through 2026. Court filings reportedly show unpaid compensation owed to several prominent players, including Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson and Cam Smith.
The source attributes LIV’s financial difficulties in part to the Public Investment Fund’s decision to stop providing funding in April. It says the fund redirected money toward domestic projects and faced financial pressures related to the regional war with Iran. Following the funding decision, PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan resigned from LIV’s board.
Rahm won LIV’s individual title in each of the past three years, making his exit a significant loss for the league. Other players have until Oct. 25 to decide whether to remain with the proposed LIV 2.0 or leave. The report says the league could cease operating, but does not establish that closure is certain.
The league has also encountered operational problems. According to the source, LIV laid off most of its operational staff, event contractors were waiting for payment, and the Premier Golf League filed a lawsuit alleging breach of confidence and conspiracy. Those allegations are claims in litigation, not findings described in the report.
The report says the DP World Tour recently announced that LIV players would no longer be permitted to compete in its events. Previously, LIV players could participate if they remained in good standing and paid fines for events that conflicted with the tour’s schedule. The source says PIF covered those fines through 2025.
Rahm won the 2021 U.S. Open and the 2023 Masters. He and Tyrrell Hatton were the only LIV golfers on Team Europe at last year’s Ryder Cup, according to the report. Brooks Koepka left LIV late last year and returned to the PGA Tour; Patrick Reed also departed afterward.
After PIF funding ended, LIV chief executive Scott O’Neil said the league’s calendar would not change. The source reports that the planned championship weekend was later canceled and the event was moved one week earlier. It does not provide further details about the reasons for the scheduling change.
