Ryder Cup hopeful delivers blunt LIV Golf verdict after Jon Rahm quits league

Eugenio Chacarra has delivered a blunt assessment of his decision to leave LIV Golf on the same day fellow Spaniard and two-time major champion Jon Rahm turned his back on the league.

Chacarra, now 26, spent three seasons representing Sergio Garcia’s Fireballs GC before deciding to return to the DP World Tour in 2025. 

At the time, walking away from LIV Golf represented a significant gamble for the Spaniard.

But with Chacarra having won three times on the DP World Tour over the last 18 months and now in contention for a potential Ryder Cup debut in Ireland next September, his decision is looking increasingly smart.

Speaking ahead of this week’s Open de España, Chacarra was asked about his decision to leave LIV at the end of 2024. 

According to comments translated from Spanish to English following a report by Ten-Golf, Chacarra said: “I saw what I saw and made the decision I made and well, in the end it seems like I've been the smartest one, haven't I?”

Chacarra's comments came the same afternoon that Rahm's lawyer John Beck confirmed the two-time major champion will not be taking part in LIV 2.0. 

Rahm joined LIV Golf at the end of 2023 in a reported deal worth £350 million.

But recent reports claim Rahm is still owed in the region of $150 million. 

Chacarra, who won once on LIV Golf in Bangkok in 2022, was keen to stress, however, that he is not completely bitter about his time on the league from 2022 to 2024. 

“I will always be grateful to LIV Golf, as I have said, it was a great stage,” he added.

“But now it's time to think about my present and future.”

Since returning to the DP World Tour, Chacarra has rediscovered his best form and put himself firmly on the Ryder Cup radar for the first time in his career. 

The Spaniard is very much in the mix for a place on Luke Donald’s 2027 European team at Adare Manor — a scenario that may have looked considerably less likely had he remained with LIV Golf. 

He was recently invited by Donald to attend Adare Manor on a scouting trip with a number of established European Ryder Cup players. 

Chacarra is not the only member of the former Fireballs setup now looking beyond LIV.

His former captain Garcia has also left his LIV contract behind to effectively become a free agent, while confirming that he will return to the DP World Tour in 2027.

The 2017 Masters champion has his sights firmly set on an 11th Ryder Cup appearance and has also refused to rule out a potential return to the PGA Tour.

Garcia, who remains all-time record Ryder Cup points scorer, has not yet fully ruled out adding LIV 2.0 to his 2027 schedule, but wants to learn first whether a split schedule of LIV and DP World Tour events is at all possible.

News has also emerged today that last week's Dunhill Links winner Adrian Meronk will also not be committing himself to LIV 2.0. 

Meronk, like Chacarra and Garcia, also has Ryder Cup ambitions for 2027. 

The latest player developments come at a difficult time for LIV, which is attempting to rebuild after the withdrawal of Saudi Arabia’s multibillion-dollar funding over the last five years. 

LIV recently entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and is working towards a new 2.0 model for 2027, with players given until October 25 to negotiate their futures.

There is at least some positive news for LIV fans, with BC Partners Credit committing to an initial investment as part of a potential $300 million financing package.

The proposed new model is expected to give players equity in the league and their teams, but retaining its biggest stars remains crucial.

Rahm’s departure therefore represents a significant blow. 

LIV may have secured the financial backing to continue, but it still needs its biggest global stars to make the project work.

And Chacarra, judging by his latest results, and tongue-in-cheek comments, appears to believe he made his move at exactly the right time.