Reports have claimed that Jon Rahm has a deal in place that will allow him to return to the PGA Tour in 2027, with the Spaniard set to make his final LIV Golf appearance this week.
Rahm’s future has been a fascinating talking point for months.
While LIV Golf managed to hold onto the two-time major champion earlier this year following Brooks Koepka’s departure, it does appear that Rahm will indeed move on in the near future.
Jon Rahm has struck a deal with the PGA Tour
Reports last week claimed LIV were resigned to losing Rahm at the end of the season as the league faces a fight to seal fresh investment for 2027 and beyond.
And it seems that Rahm will be heading straight back to the PGA Tour.
According to the X account Tee Times, Rahm has struck a deal with those at Ponte Vedra which involves the 31-year-old paying a $25 million fine to charity.
Like Koepka, he will also have to earn his way into all of the signature events from next season. He will not be able to receive sponsor invites.
Interestingly, the report adds that it is Legion XIII’s general manager who is working on securing a similar deal for Tyrrell Hatton. However, nothing has been agreed yet.
PGA Tour members may be concerned about how easy it could become for LIV Golf players to return
There will be a lot of questions among PGA Tour members if Jon Rahm is able to come back that easily.
Obviously, $25 million is an eye-watering sum, and it is fantastic to hear that a charity is set to receive that donation. However, Rahm has made an absolute fortune during his time on LIV Golf.
Admittedly, Brian Rolapp did create a pathway for those on LIV who had won a major since 2022 to enable Koepka to return. And Rahm is one of the players who is in that category.
Perhaps Rahm would have decided to return at that stage had his contract allowed him to. And the PGA Tour is certainly going to be better off for having Rahm playing in their full-field events.
But there will be a concern, particularly if a similar deal for Hatton is agreed, that the PGA Tour is going to make it too easy for many LIV players to return.
Those who do not have the same status as Rahm should largely be forced to earn their way back through the DP World Tour or even the Challenger Series from 2028 onwards.
Otherwise, many will feel that some of the lesser names who jumped ship were able to have their cake and eat it too.