'Never say never' - Jon Rahm may invest his own money to save LIV Golf

Jon Rahm says he isn't ruling out handing over some of his own money to help LIV Golf survive. 

The two-time major champion controversially left the PGA Tour for the breakaway league in December 2023. 

It was reported at the time that the Spaniard penned a multi-year deal worth approximately $566.6 million (£450 million). 

But the future of the league is in a precarious position after LIV's sole financier, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), announced in late March it will no longer fund the venture after the end of the season.

The decision, a PIF spokesperson previously said, was because the amount of cash needed to fund LIV was "no longer consistent" with their investment strategy. 

The Money in Sports newsletter reported last month LIV is still being funded by the PIF but only through loans.

LIV Golf's chief executive, Scott O'Neil, is seeking some $300m from potential investors to help the league survive next season.

The embattled boss believes with that cash LIV can turn a profit within three years. 

The Sun reported in May that several LIV players were considering pooling money together as part of a rescue mission. 

Rahm told reporters before the Genesis Scottish Open that he hasn't been asked to do that yet. 

But he isn't ruling it out.

"I know Scott is doing a lot of work trying to find developers," said Rahm. 

"And there's many ways around that, as far as putting my money into it, they have not asked me to do that yet. 

"So I don't know if they will or not. 

"It's not something that they have asked me but there has been many different avenues to try to make it different, what we've had till now. 

"They haven't asked me to putt my money in yet."

Asked whether he would be willing to do so, Rahm added: "Something I've learned in life, never say never. 

"I'm not going to say absolutely no to anything that can happen in the future."

This week marks an important milestone for Rahm. 

He is technically making his first start on the PGA Tour since switching to LIV Golf. 

The $9m Rolex Series event is co-sanctioned by the American tour and Rahm is only allowed to play as he holds DP World Tour membership.

Last month, the PGA Tour outlined several structural changes that will come into effect in 2028. 

Promotion and relegation will be a key feature of the re-vamp, with the introduction of a Championship and Challenger series. 

Rahm said he had "no idea" about the important PGA Tour announcement as he doesn't go on social media anymore. 

But he is supportive of the changes.

"I think it's a part of golf, right?" he said of promotion and relegation.  

Rahm also outlined some of his issues with the schedule when he was on the PGA Tour. 

"One of my complaints back in the day that was changed was that I didn't like when you finished the FedEx Cup that immediately seven days later they are starting a new FedEx Cup," he said. 

"And when we show up to the Tournament of Champions, if you didn't play in the fall, you were a thousand points behind somebody. 

"I don't feel like it's fair for the points race to start in January."

The revamped PGA Tour schedule will also leave a big window for more international golf. 

In June, the PGA Tour outlined its commitment to elevate the Australian Open. 

Rahm said he supports that idea and would like see the Spanish Open have a bigger profile. 

"I think it's wonderful," he said. "Those events in Australia look unbelievable and from what I’ve experienced there, it's a lot of fun.

"The Spanish Open, I would hope for it to become a bigger event. 

"When I was growing up, Spain had five to eight DP World Tour events. They were all quite big. 

"I think we have enough of a footprint in the history of the DP World Tour with Seve [Ballesteros] and Sergio [Garcia] and many others have done. 

"I think Spain deserves to have a bigger event.

"So if that opens the opportunity for that to happen, yeah. I think it shouldn't be the hardest sell. 

"If you can get the right sponsor, the right course and the right prize money, it's not that hard to go to Spain. 

"You get good weather, good food, good night life for whoever is interested, good drinking, it produces itself in that regard.”