Rory McIlroy’s Reaction To Jon Rahm Leaving For LIV Shows How Far Golf Has Come

Reigning Masters champion Jon Rahm made it official on Thursday night when he announced that he was relinquishing his PGA Tour membership and joining LIV Golf. In his announcement, the Spaniard said “I am proud to join LIV Golf and be part of something new that is bringing growth to the sport. I have no doubt that this is a great opportunity for me and my family and am very excited for the future.”

Shortly after #3-ranked Jon Rahm‘s big announcement, the #2 golfer in the world, Rory McIlroy, shared his immediate thoughts on Rahm’s departure. Rory’s words are, in my humble, a testament to how much the golf world has matured in such a short period of time. Here are Rory’s first thoughts after the announcement:

Prior to the first LIV Golf Invitational on June 9, 2022, it would’ve been treated like heresy for a PGA Tour star to say kind things about a former colleague leaving for LIV. Yet in this clip, Rory McIlroy expresses admiration for Jon Rahm’s skill on the course and regret that he won’t get to compete against Rahm more frequently in the coming years.

And right out of the gate, Rory McIlroy says Rahm will be on the 2025 European Ryder Cup Team when the Ryder Cup is held at Beth Page. He goes as far as saying that “because of (Jon’s) decision, the European Tour are going to have to rewrite the rules for Ryder Cup eligibility. Like, absolutely. There’s no question about that. I certainly want Jon Rahm on the next Ryder Cup team.”

I simply cannot fathom Rory or any other PGA Tour member saying something like that a year ago or in the days prior to the launch of LIV Golf. This represents a seismic shift in the sentiment toward LIV Golf from the PGA Tour faithful.

Heck, just 2.5 months ago this is what Rory McIlroy had to say about the European LIV Golf guys who were left out of the Ryder Cup squad: “It’s certainly a little strange not having them around. But I think this week of all weeks, it’s going to hit home with them that, you know, they are not here, and I think they are going to miss being here more than we’re missing them.”

Who taught Jon Rahm to wear a watch???

Side note, Jon Rahm had to actually try his hardest to wear a watch this poorly. His Rolex is barely hanging on AND it’s on his right hand. He is right-handed. What kind of right-handed golfer wears his watch like this?!

I said it yesterday and I’ll say it again, Jon Rahm moving to LIV Golf won’t make me watch LIV any more or less. For me, it’s all about the TV product and I haven’t loved LIV’s TV product yet.

There’s too much going on with the on-screen graphics, the broadcasts are often unreliable on my TV’s cable guide, and more often than not there’s weird music blaring in the background while the commentators are trying to speak.

They need to make some TV tweaks and that will actually get me watching more than signing Jon Rahm who I look forward to watching in the majors. But I’m just a random fan and that’s my two cents. I do love watching many of the golfers on LIV and I’ll watch when the timing is right.