LIV Golf star Jon Rahm ridiculed by golf fans over "loyalty" claims

Jon Rahm has faced heavy criticism since joining LIV Golf, but he's received even more heat following his latest interview.

Johnny Percival

31 Jan 2024

When you think of Jon Rahm, what words come to mind? Passion? Power? Grit? Determination? Loyalty? Well, having announced the name of his new LIV Golf team, Legion XIII, Rahm claimed it was, in fact, "loyalty" which inspired the name.

You can't get away with much these days, especially on golf Twitter, and in typical fashion the online golf community took Rahm's choice words and ran with them.

While the golf world undoubtedly still has great deal of respect for Rahm following his reported £450m move to the breakaway Tour, a number of fans could not help but poke fun at the Spaniard's decision to choose loyalty of all things as one of the key inspirations behind his team's name.

Discussing the decision to settle on Legion XIII, Rahm said the following:

“The term loyalty was very important for me. I think that also shows a lot of that warrior spirit, that decisiveness and the ready-for-battle aspects kind of things.”

Rahm's revelation of his team name followed the confirmation of his three new signings on his brand new LIV Golf team for 2024.

Tyrrell Hatton has joined Rahm's team for a reported £50m fee following a late phone call.

Both Rahm and Hatton went unbeaten at the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome.

Amateur Caleb Surratt and Kieran Vincent have also joined Legion XIII.

Since announcing his move to LIV in December 2023, Rahm has faced heavy criticism for his decision, with a number of fans and pundits claiming it was a decision purely dictated by financial gain.

Related; Who is in Jon Rahm's LIV Golf team? Meet his new teammates

While the allure of nearly half a billion dollars would likely turn the head of almost anyone on the planet, Rahm's decision to leave the PGA Tour seemed even more shocking considering what he had previously said about a potential move to LIV.

Speaking to the media at the 2022 US Open, he said:

"Money is great, but when [wife] Kelley and I… this first thing happened, we started talking about it, and we're like, will our lifestyle change if I got $400 million? No, it will not change one bit. Truth be told, I could retire right now with what I've made and live a very happy life and not play golf again.

"So I've never really played the game of golf for monetary reasons. I play for the love of the game, and I want to play against the best in the world. I've always been interested in history and legacy, and right now the PGA Tour has that."

Mere moments after the Legion XIII launch video landed, fans and pundits alike instantly latched onto Rahm's words and, in typical fashion, ridiculed them, with fans claiming the Spaniard "must be trolling us" with the announcement.