Jon Rahm shuts out LIV Golf turmoil with blunt phone decision amid funding rumours

Jon Rahm admits he's been forced to switch off his phone as rumours surrounding the future of the LIV Golf League continue to intensify, with speculation growing over the Saudi-backed circuit’s long-term funding.

The noise has become impossible to ignore.

Reports over the past week in outlets including the Financial Times, Telegraph and Fox News have suggested that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) is about to remove its financial commitment to LIV Golf after its current investment cycle this season. 

Since launching in 2022, the PIF has injected an estimated $5 billion into the league, funding blockbuster arrivals such as Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Dustin Johnson. 

The PIF's cash influx has helped reshape professional golf almost overnight. But now questions are beginning to swirl about what comes next.

Despite the growing uncertainty, LIV Golf leadership has moved to steady the ship. 

LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil has reassured players and staff that the season will continue as planned, insisting the operation remains “full throttle”.

But for Rahm, the speculation has reached a point where disconnecting is the only option.

Speaking after his latest win in Mexico, the Spaniard revealed just how overwhelming the constant stream of messages has become.

“I’m not paying any attention to it at all,” he told Spanish newspaper ABC.

“The other day I started getting messages about it, so I turned my phone off.

“Until the people in charge here tell me something concrete, I'm not going to waste my time thinking about it. I have a signed contract, and everyone here gets paid. I don't see any reason to worry. What I have to do is play golf.”

Rahm bounced back from a disappointing tie for 38th at The Masters two weeks ago with a fourth career win on LIV on Sunday.

His six-shot victory in Mexico City marked his second win of the season and reinforced why LIV invested heavily to bring him in. 

Rahm, who signed a reported deal with LIV Golf upwards of $350m in 2024, also won in Hong Kong last month. 

For now, the Legion XIII captain is keeping things simple: play golf, ignore the speculation, and leave the phone switched off.