Jon Rahm appears set to return to the PGA Tour in a move that could reshape the landscape of golf.
The two-time major winner was one of the powerhouses of the sport when he left for LIV. He won four times in 2023, including a victory at The Masters, before leaving for the Saudi-backed league for the 2024 season.
After winning three straight LIV titles, the Spaniard is going to be back on the PGA Tour in 2027, according to reports, in a deal similar to the one Brooks Koepka agreed to earlier in the year. Rahm will not receive sponsor exemptions for Signature Events and will pay $25 million to charity in order to tee off on the PGA Tour next year.
LIV Golf is clearly the big loser from this news, but among those who Rahm’s return affects is Scottie Scheffler, who has been a massive beneficiary of his move to LIV Golf three years ago.
Jon Rahm is the number one contender to Scottie Scheffler’s throne
It’s easy to forget just how good Jon Rahm was before he left for LIV Golf. In 2023 he had two majors to Scheffler’s one and was jostling for the title of world number one with the American.
Rahm’s move to LIV removed Scheffler’s greatest rival on the PGA Tour. As Rahm struggled for form at the major championships, Scheffler’s game went to the next level. Rahm’s absence from the PGA Tour certainly helped Scheffler grow into the player he is today.
Three years later, Scheffler has four majors to Rahm’s two, and he’s moved into a different stratosphere among the pantheon of golfing greats. He’s the dominant force of the sport with no peers.
But Rahm’s return to the PGA Tour is a serious threat to this stature. Rahm has been out of the spotlight for three years, but now he’s back on the best tour in golf. Competing with Scheffler every week could battle-harden Rahm once again, bringing him back to his best form.
Rahm at the peak of his powers is a worthy rival for Scheffler, so while he has benefited from some of the biggest names in golf leaving the PGA Tour theirs for the taking, this advantage is soon to be diminished.